Journal of the New York Botanical Garden

VOL. XXXVIII APRIL, 1937 NTo. 44S
JOURNAL
of
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
Published monthly by The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx Park, Xew York. X. Y.
Entered at the Post Office in New York, N. Y., as second- class matter.
Annual subscription $ 1.00 Single copies 10 cents
Free to members of the Garden
JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
CAROL H. WOODWARD, Editor
APRIL, 1937
HORTICULTURAL VARIETIES OF RANUNCULUS Front Cover
OBSERVATIONS OF HARDINESS IN GHENT HYBRID AZALEAS
AND THEIR ALLIES Clement G. Bowers 73
STEPHEN G. CUTTING CHOSEN FOR YEAR AT KEW 79
LORD ABERCONWAY VISITS THE GARDEN 79
REPORT OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR 1936 80
REPORT OF THE TREASURER FOR 1936 -• 92
AT THE NEW YORK FLOWER SHOW 98
EASTER DISPLAY AT THE GARDEN 99
HONORARY SCROLL PRESENTED TO DR. SMALL 99
THE JAPANESE BEETLE AND IRIS RHIZOME ROT B. O. Dodge 100
NOTES, NEWS, AND COMMENT 101
REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 102
THE LIBRARY
Rich in historic volumes from the earliest days of printing, in works
which are landmarks of scientific progress in later centuries, and similarly
furnished with reports on the latest research, The New York Botanical
Garden possesses, in 45,000 bound volumes, the country's largest library
combining horticulture and botany.
Besides being virtually complete in that ultimate source of all botanists,
the works of Linnaeus in their many editions, the Library also contains
full sets of the world's leading periodicals on botany and horticulture.
Every issue, for instance, of Curtis's Botanical Magazine from its inception
in 1787, is on the shelves. The classic herbals of Hieronymus, Gesner,
Fuchs, Dodoens, and others number nearly 300 volumes. The famous Cox
collection of Darwiniana is also owned by the Botanical Garden.
Nearly all of the magnificent folio works of the elder Jacquin, including
his rare American flora, which Andrew Carnegie presented at a cost of
more than $ 1,000, are in the Botanical Garden's library. This remarkable
work of the mid- eighteenth century, of which only 18 copies were ever
published, contains 264 plates hand- drawn in color.
Gifts and purchases of other historic source books, which are essential
to the scientist, have also combined to make this library an important study
center. For research, especially in systematic botany, it rarely occurs that
the required reference is lacking.
Based upon the botanical library of Columbia University, most of which
was deposited here in 1901, the present library of the Garden aims to keep
up to date by the addition of current publications on botany, horticulture,
and related subjects. Though hampered in recent years because of lack of
funds for the purchase and proper housing of many books desired, it con- _
tinues to serve its users well. The collection has been developed primarily
for the aid of members of the staff, students, and visiting botanists, but is
placed also at the disposal of the public, who are free to consult its volumes
in the reading room.
JOURNAL
of
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
VOL. XXXVIII APRIL, 1937 , No. 448
OBSERVATIONS OF HARDINESS IN GHENT HYBRID
AZALEAS AND THEIR ALLIES
Some years ago, while examining the Ghent and Mollis hybrid
azaleas then growing on the grounds of the New York Botanical
Garden, I became interested in the fact that certain of these shrubs
were fifteen or twenty years old and fairly thrifty despite a com­mon
superstition that varieties such as these were short- lived,
thriftless, and subject to " dwindling" or dying back when grown
in this region. It had been well known to the importers of Dutch
and Belgian azaleas that the Ghent hybrids and their allies seldom
persisted for long in America and that thousands of these plants
imported in former years had failed to endure.
Before discovering the age of the plants at the Botanical
Garden, I had observed this " dwindling" process in the azalea
collections of Long Island and New Jersey. Briefly described,
one might say that a plant which had been at first in a thrifty con­dition
would become checked in growth and occasionally the foliage
would become pale. During subsequent winters the unthrifty
branches would die back and the plant would become smaller from
one year to the next until finally giving up its struggle for life.
Although the summer growth was poor, actual death of the woody
parts would occur during the winter. The natural inference,
therefore, was that these varieties were winter- tender and that
this characteristic was responsible for their failure to adapt them­selves
to American climatic conditions.
The finding of the older plants, in fair vigor, at the New York
Botanical Garden led me to observe others. Specimens were found
at various places in Massachusetts, at Rochester, N. Y., and at
73
74
other points in New York State where the weather was even
colder. It was a pleasant surprise to find these reputedly tender
shrubs, all apparently happy and vigorous, surviving the exceed­ingly
cold winter temperatures of upstate New York and New
England.
Putting together the facts concerning the azalea plants that
were thrifty led to the observation that these successful ones were
especially well supplied with moisture during the summer months.
The best Ghent hybrids at the Botanical Garden at that time were
those which had been planted in or near herbaceous borders which
were being watered throughout the growing season. Those at
Rochester were arranged so that the soil could be irrigated when­ever
the weather became very dry. At other places the soil was
kept moist by a mulch of leaves which was maintained throughout
the year. In still another instance the plants were growing on the
banks of a stagnant pond where there was much atmospheric
moisture due to frequent fogs and where the plants were protected
from dry winds by a heavy wood. Inquiry of experienced azalea
growers elicited the opinion that summer moisture conditions were
perhaps involved in these successes.
Encouraged by these evidences of thrift and wishing to test the
matter further, I undertook a trial planting of three varieties in
1930. In a particularly cold section of Broome County, New
York, plants from Long Island which were already in the
" dwindling" process were planted in a well drained bed composed
of one part acid peatmoss and one part garden loam, prepared to
a depth of eighteen inches. After planting in April, the bed was
covered with a mulch of oak leaves eight inches deep. In Novem­ber
a frame covered with burlap was built around the bed and re­tained
until the following April. Later results indicated that this
burlap protection was not needed.
Some of the older unthrifty wood was lost the first winter, but
as soon as the plants became well established they developed new
stems from the base and entered upon a season of active growth
which has been repeated every year since that time. During their
six years in Broome County, these original plants have grown
from mediocre examples of eighteen inches into broad, well pro­portioned
shrubs of five and six feet, being covered every June
with a wealth of bloom which fairly radiates glory. Every winter
the temperature has dropped to at least twenty- five degrees below
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zero, and in 1934 a record low temperature of — 38° F. was
reached with sub- zero temperatures nearly every day for some
weeks. Although these temperatures have been cold enough to
kill all the flower buds on the evergreen rhododendrons ( such as
Rhododendron catawbiense and R. maximum) which were grow­ing
in the same beds and have killed the torch azalea, R. Kaemp­feri,
to the ground, the Ghent hybrids have bloomed abundantly
A branch of one of the Ghent hybrid azaleas which has proved its hardi­ness
at The New York Botanical Garden.
every year. During one January a heavy snowfall broke down
the burlap covering which was protecting the azalea bed, so that
these plants had to finish the winter with no overhead protection
whatever. The plants were quite unharmed and bloomed as usual
in June, despite the fact that the mercury descended to thirty
degrees below zero after all protection had been removed. While
there is probably much difference between varieties in respect to
winter hardiness, these results should at least establish a reputa­tion
for the hardiness of those which were tested, namely:
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Coccinea Speciosa, Daviesii and Pucelle. It seems probable that
a large number of other clonal varieties are equally hardy, since
they have been found growing in cold regions. It would not be
surprising to see a rather long list of hardy Ghent and Mollis
azaleas assembled when additional sorts are grown and tested..
That the success of these plants was mainly due to favorable
water relations during the growing season may be inferred from
the evidence at hand, although such a conjecture needs confirma­tion
by subsequent physiological study. During the rather serious
drought conditions prevalent in the region for several summers,
the soil in these azalea beds was always cool and moist, without
sogginess but well aerated and never unduly dry. If one were to
plunge his hand into the soil beneath the leafy mulch on a hot dry
day, the peaty soil would feel soft and about as moist as a damp
sponge. This uniformity of moisture supply is a factor which
undoubtedly kept the plants in a steady condition of vegetative
vigor and prevented the checks in growth which are known to
result from alternate periods of dryness and wetness. Further,
it seems likely that this good growth in summer promoted the
hardiness of the plants during each subsequent winter. It is a
common observation of fruit growers and other growers of woody
plants, supported by scientific evidence, that thriftless or inactive
branches are more susceptible to winter injury than are the more
vigorous portions of the tree or shrub. It is evident that all azaleas
are sensitive to drought and that the combined heat and dryness
of American summers is trying even to the native species, such
as Rhododendron calendulaceum, R. roseum, R. Vaseyi and
R. atlanticum. All of these species did better when grown under a
heavy summer mulch than when grown without it. That grafted
azaleas are even more sensitive to inadequate moisture conditions
than are seedlings and own- root sorts will be brought out later.
Altogether, the inference is clear that summer water relations play
an important role in the thrift of the azaleas, and that this thrift,
in turn, contributes substantially to the plants' ability to resist
winter cold. And there are additional implications, also, from
these purely horticultural observations.
After these encouraging results, further experiments were
undertaken. Plants of a dozen different varieties of Ghent and
Mollis azaleas were secured from a commercial planting where
trouble had been experienced in making the young plants develop
77
vigorously. Planted in April, as before, in peat beds mulched with
oak leaves, the young plants grew normally until mid- June when
dry weather commenced. Although the soil was adequately moist,
the atmosphere was very dry and the young plants began to suffer
coincidentally with this. Growth was checked, and the younger
leaves failed to develop a normal green color, being pale, chlorotic
and often somewhat mottled as if infected with a virus disease of
the " mosaic" type. Other symptoms were small size of the new
leaves, partial distortion of the leaves and reduced length of new
stems. Such symptoms have been commonly attributed to rhodo­dendron
mosaic or azalea yellow- leaf, under which names several
incompletely known troubles appear to have been listed.
While these virus- like symptoms appeared in the upper parts of
the scion, they did not occur in the stems and foliage of the root-stock
which had been permitted to grow out from the bases of cer­tain
plants. The foliage on these rootstock branches remained
green and healthy throughout the time chlorosis was appearing on
the leaves of the scions. The rootstock was of uncertain origin,
but was presumed to have been derived from mixed seedlings of
the Pontic azalea, R. luteum. There was no transfer of the
symptoms from the scion to the rootstock.
In August, after copious rains had restored the atmospheric and
soil moisture, the azaleas immediately became active, vegetative
growth started, and normal green leaves developed. No further
sign of chlorosis appeared throughout the remainder of the season.
Although no pathological studies have yet been made of this
material to determine whether a virus disease is actually present,
these preliminary observations strongly indicate that the cause of
the chlorosis and reduced vigor of the grafted azalea plants is
merely an unfavorable graft union and not a pathogenic infection.
As noted above, these azaleas appear very sensitive to conditions
of restricted water supply. If stock and scion do not form a
thoroughly functional union, it is a reasonable conjecture that
the movement of water from roots to top may be inadequate to
provide a sufficient supply to the scion at times when the air is
dry and large quantities of moisture are being lost from the leaves.
Thus injury might occur in times of atmospheric dryness which
would not occur during the more humid seasons, since, in the
latter, an imperfectly functioning graft union would still be good
enough to transfer sufficient water from stock to scion.
78
Since the Ghent and Mollis hybrids do not root easily from
cuttings, grafting is the common commercial practice for propaga­tion.
Yet, to avoid troubles such as those here cited, own- root
plants would be preferred to grafted plants. The use of auxins,
or growth- promoting chemicals, as developed at the Boyce
Thompson Institute, offers a promising future for the production
of own- root hybrid azaleas.
Certain other practical considerations should be noted. Although
these azaleas need adequate summer moisture, they quickly resent
a soil that is saturated with water and always require good drain­age.
In these experiments, azaleas planted on well drained land
underlain by gravel grew twice as well as those planted in poorly
drained soil underlain by stiff clay, although the surface soil in the
peat beds was practically the same in both cases. Plantings of all
azaleas and most rhododendrons on the poorly drained soil are
doing badly. For best results the soil should be porous and well
aerated, but fibrous and retentive of moisture in the sense of
being spongy.
Atmospheric dryness is probably very bad for the Ghent and
Mollis azaleas, as it is indeed for the other members of the genus,
even when abundant soil moisture is present. There are certain
sites, such as dry southern exposures or open plains that are swept
with hot winds in summer, where Ghent azaleas and their allies
could not be expected to thrive no matter how carefully they were
irrigated or mulched.
It should also be noted that all Ghent and Mollis azaleas are
certainly not of equal hardiness. Several different species, some
of them tender like Rhododendron occidentale, R. luteum and R.
speciosum, are present in the hybrid mixture and their character­istics
occasionally segregate out in the progeny. On the other
hand, several varieties are supposed to be of superior hardiness.
Pending further trials, it would not be safe to make definite recom­mendations
at this time.
If ultimately a fair- sized list of Ghent and Mollis azaleas, which
with their wide range of color are among the showiest of all
flowering shrubs, should prove hardy in the region of the north­eastern
states after they have been tested under good summer con­ditions,
and if new propagating methods make the production of
own- root plants easy and desirable, then we may look forward to
a renewed interest in these truly gorgeous shrubs and a new
supply of fine things for our gardens.
CLEMENT G. BOWERS.
79
STEPHEN G. CUTTING CHOSEN FOR YEAR AT KEW
Stephen G. Cutting has been selected as this year's candidate to
study at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, England, while
Frank G. Mackaness will come as a student gardener from Kew
to The New York Botanical Garden.
Mr. Cutting, who has served at the Garden for more than two
years and who last spring received his certificate for completing
studies in the Course for Professional Gardeners, took part in the
Garden's Rocky Mountain expedition last summer. He recently
received a prize of a copy of Britton & Brown's Illustrated Flora
for having made the year's finest herbarium collection of native
plants. His selection for the year abroad was made by a com­mittee
from the National Association of Gardeners, who inter­viewed
five students from the Botanical Garden. He will leave
New York at the end of June, when Howard Swift, the first ex­change
student gardener to be sent from The New York Botanical
Garden, will return from England to resume his work here. The
National Association of Gardeners is providing the traveling ex­penses
of this year's student from America.
C. J. Collins, the 1936 exchange student from Kew, will leave
The New York Botanical Garden this month and return to Eng­land
after a trip to the Pacific coast.
LORD ABERCONWAY VISITS THE GARDEN
While in America to attend the spring flower shows in Boston,
Philadelphia, and New York, Lord Aberconway, President of the
Royal Horticultural Society, and one of Great Britain's outstand­ing
authorities on gardening, spent the afternoon of Sunday,
March 21, at The New York Botanical Garden. Accompanied by
Dr. H. A. Gleason, Mr. H. de la Montagne, Mr. T. H. Everett,
and Dr. E. D. Merrill, the latter representing the Board of
Managers, Lord Aberconway inspected many features of the
grounds, but indicated especial interest in the Thompson Memorial
Rock Garden. Himself the owner of one of the finest gardens in
Great Britain, where he has large collections of gentians, primulas,
and rhododendrons, he declared at the conclusion of his visit that
he was impressed with the generally high standard of cultivation
both in the greenhouses and on the grounds at The New York
Botanical Garden.
80
REPORT OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR 1936
The year just closed at The New York Botanical Garden has
been saddened by the death of its director on December 24, after
thirty- five years of honorable and productive service. For more
than thirty years he was my professor, my colleague, my director,
and always my friend. I need say no more.
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE
The general work of maintenance and repair has proceeded as
usual, subject to the customary limitations caused by insufficient
labor.
The chief feature has been the completion of certain construc­tion
projects under the direction of the Department of Parks with
the assistance of labor from the Works Progress Administration.
The new steam tunnel from the Power House to the Museum is
in operation and will probably effect a saving in coal. The new
garage is in use and is a great convenience. Much of our path
system has been resurfaced. Weather- stripping has been placed
on all windows in the Museum. Additional stone wall, 285 feet
in length, was built near the Rock Garden and the retaining wall
along the Bronx River was extended 500 feet. Stone piers were
made for the Perennial Border and the work of lowering the path
is under way. Numerous new benches for the grounds have
been installed.
Two units of Conservatory Range 2 and one unit of the Propa­gating
House were thoroughly repaired and renovated. New steam
pipes were installed in two units of Conservatory Range 1. The
waterlily tanks have been freshly waterproofed. The roof of the
Propagating House has been repaired.
Essential preliminaries have postponed the repairs to Con­servatory
Range 1, for which the City made an appropriation in
1935. At present specifications are in the hands of contractors,
bids will be opened this month, and we have hopes that the work
will be completed before the beginning of next winter. The
appropriation was planned to cover about half of the whole range
of glass. Application has been made to the City for an equal sum
of money on the Capital Outlay Budget of 1937 to complete
the work.
In the Hemlock Forest, 800 more young hemlocks have been
planted, bringing the total to nearly 3,000. More than half a
mile of paths have been resurfaced. Special attention has been
81
given to the trees of the rest of the grounds. A program of tree-feeding
and mulching has been adopted and much necessary trim­ming
and pruning has been done. Construction has been com­pleted
at the north end of the Rock Garden. The Rock Garden
fence has been extended to enclose about three more acres to
the south.
HORTICULTURAL OPERATIONS
The reorganization of the gardening force, which has been in
progress during the past four years, is virtually completed and we
now have an efficient personnel. Further improvements in
efficiency will be minor in character, and as a consequence addi­tional
gardening activities can be undertaken only by an increased
force of gardeners, the elimination of features now maintained,
or a reduction in the standard of cultivation.
Mr. Henry Teuscher, dendrologist, resigned in May. His work
was absorbed by the Horticulturist, and Joseph Tansey, a graduate
of Cornell and a former student gardener, was appointed foreman
gardener in charge of nurseries and propagation.
During 1936 our living plant collections were considerably in­creased
by gift, exchange and purchase. Notable gifts include
3,000 roses in 110 varieties from Bobbink & Atkins, a large
assortment of Mexican plants from Mr. T. MacDougall, many
items of interest from Mr. Stanley G. Ranger, a collection of
shrubs from the Boyce Thompson Institute, and a collection of
rock garden and greenhouse material from the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew. Thanks are due to many commercial dealers who
have generously donated bulbs and other forcing stock for use in
our greenhouse displays.
The flower displays throughout the year have been of high
quality, particularly the annuals, roses, waterlilies, hardy asters,
and dahlias, the rock garden, and the greenhouse exhibits. Early
frosts cut short a promising outdoor chrysanthemum show. The
display houses in Conservatory Range 1 continued to prove a
great attraction to the public and during the season some 7,000
pots of plants, representing 571 species and varieties, were ex­hibited.
A plant of Victoria Cruztana in the aquatic house has
also proved of great interest to visitors.
The collection of ferns, begonias, and bulbous material in Con­servatory
Range 2 is in excellent condition, while the standard of
cultivation of other plants is commendably high. The orchids
82
have improved greatly and would undoubtedly be still better if
appropriate benches were provided.
The number of plants grown in the display gardens of annuals,
chrysanthemums, cannas, and other so- called bedding plants has
been about 36,000. An innovation here was a greatly extended
planting of hardy asters, numbering 3,000 plants in forty varieties.
The new iris garden west of Conservatory Range I has been
planted with more than 6,000 plants in 181 varieties. The tubs
in the tropical waterlily tank have been replaced by new ones of
larger size.
In the Rose Garden much work has been accomplished. Beds
have been deeply dug and manured and 27 new varieties of
climbing roses have been planted. The long border of Polyantha
roses has been trenched, fertilized, and partly replanted.
In the Perennial Border supported by the Advisory Council, a
quarter of the plants were lifted and replanted according to plan
after the ground was thoroughly trenched and fertilized.
Planting of the Rock Garden has been continued and is now
nearing completion, except the bog area at the south end and the
heather area at the north. Many thousands of plants have been
raised for this purpose and some 7,000 heathers are now available
for further planting.
During the fall more than 1,000 trees and shrubs in 261
varieties were transplanted from the nurseries into the permanent
collections.
During the year two distributions of surplus plant material to
members of the Garden were arranged, during which mare than
8,000 plants of iris and several thousand of fuchsia and verbena
were disposed of. Schools in New York City have also received
surplus material. In our seed exchange, 3,422 packets were dis­tributed
to botanical gardens and 2,471 packets were received
from them. Our present seed- list offers 618 items for exchange
during the present winter.
An expedition consisting of T. H. Everett, Horticulturist, and
E. J. Alexander, Assistant Curator, and two student gardeners was
sent to the Rocky Mountains to collect seeds of plants likely to
be of value in rock gardens. The expenses of the trip were met
by contributions from 44 subscribers in the United States, Canada,
and six European countries. In the field three months, the party
collected seeds of 138 species of plants for rock gardens, many
83
of them hitherto unknown in cultivation and all of them promising
material. These are being shared among the subscribers and
also grown in our own Rock Garden.
At the last International Flower Show, the Garden was awarded
a special gold medal for an exhibit of a group of plants originat­ing
in the Mediterranean Region.
CONTROL OF PESTS AND DISEASES
Our pathologist, Dr. B. O. Dodge, has actively continued the
use of standard control measures against fungous diseases and
insect pests and as a result our growing plants, both outdoors and
under glass, have been in uniformly good condition.
The annual execution of a well- planned program of spraying
during the past few years has led to the almost complete extermi­nation
of cherry scale, tussock moth, tent caterpillar, bagworm,
and catalpa mealy bug. On the other hand, aphids and lace bugs
have been unusually troublesome. Our Rose Garden, which has
been remarkably free from disease, has been kept so by no less
than 47 treatments.
Our own survey, which agrees with that made by the Dutch Elm
Disease Laboratory, has disclosed no new case of the disease on
our grounds and we believe that we are in no immediate danger
of losing our elms.
We have continued to cooperate with the State Conservation
Commission in the control of the gypsy moth. Spraying, tree-banding,
and destruction of egg masses have been so thoroughly
done by state workers that we shall probably not be troubled by
this dangerous pest for some time to come.
The Japanese beetle increased somewhat in numbers during
1936, but with a corresponding increase in our control measures
we have avoided serious damage. Experiments are under way on
the use of derris dust as a repellent. About two and a half acres
of lawn have been treated with lead arsenate. By trapping and
hand- picking no less than 444,000 adult beetles have been collected
and destroyed.
Soil sterilization has proved very effective for the control of
nematodes and various injurious soil fungi. Its use will be con­tinued
and extended.
HERBARIUM
The herbarium continues the rapid growth which during the
short span of forty years has made it one of the leading herbaria
84
of the world. During the year 41,277 specimens have been
mounted, labeled, and incorporated, bringing the total to
1,868,372.
The sources of these plants and their respective numbers, in
round figures, are 5,000 by gift or collection, 9,000 by purchase,
18,000 by exchange, 4,000 previously on hand, and the balance
miscellaneous.
As reported a year ago, the cases for the housing of this vast
collection are full. To care for current accumulations, 2,000 more
boxes of corrugated paper were purchased, making more than
5,000 now in use. About 400,000 specimens, estimated conserva­tively,
are now stored in this temporary fashion. The specimens
are difficult to consult, the boxes are of short duration and consti­tute
a distinct fire hazard. The replacement of these boxes and
the old- fashioned wooden cases by new steel equipment is an
urgent necessity. The continued growth of the herbarium has also
exhausted all available floor space under our present arrangements.
During the year the herbarium has sent out 22,000 specimens in
exchange, giving us a handsome credit balance from which we
may expect a constant influx of valuable material from all parts
of the world.
The herbarium staff has actively continued research in syste­matic
botany, based on these valuable collections. Dr. Howe, in
the little time left free by administrative duties and illness, was
occupied by his work on seaweeds. Dr. H. A. Gleason has prose­cuted
his study of tropical American plants. Dr. John K. Small
is rounding out his many years of research by the preparation of
seven books on the plants of the United States. Dr. F. J. Seaver,
Mr. Percy Wilson, and Mr. R. S. Williams have continued their
work with fungi, West Indian plants, and mosses, respectively.
Dr. A. C. Smith has completed a comprehensive study of the
sarsaparilla family, for publication in North American Flora and
is engaged on a similar monograph of the American nutmegs.
Dr. H. N. Moldenke returned in November from a year's leave
of absence in Europe as a fellow of the National Research Coun­cil
and is now preparing a monograph of the North American
pipeworts. Dr. W. H. Camp has continued his study of the
American blueberries. He spent two months in the Alleghany
Mountains and is now in southern Mexico for study of these
plants in the field. Mr. Alexander has been primarily responsible
85
for the correct identification of the growing plants in our green­houses
and on our grounds. As custodian of the herbarium, with
the assistance of a staff of W. P. A. employees, Mr. G. L. Wittrock
has kept the collection continuously in excellent condition.
The use of the herbarium is by no means limited to our own
staff. During the year, based upon our collection, plants have
been identified for outside parties to the extent of several thou­sand,
a score or more professional botanists have worked in the
herbarium for various periods of time, and no less than 16,480
specimens have been sent out on loan to most of the principal
herbaria of the world, there to serve as a basis for research for
numerous eminent botanists. The good and still growing reputa­tion
of the herbarium staff is still further evidenced by the num­ber
of specimens sent in from other institutions with requests for
an expression of our opinion. These include such well- known
botanical centers as Kew, Stockholm, Harvard, the National
Herbarium, the Field Museum, and many others.
LABORATORIES
Research in our laboratories, by Dr. A. B. Stout and Dr. B. O.
Dodge, and under their direction, has been facilitated by the pur­chase
of some new optical equipment.
Dr. Stout, assisted by Miss Clyde Chandler of our regular staff
and by a varying number of W. P. A. employees, has continued
his manifold studies on plant breeding and on sterilities in plants.
These have involved extensive research with lily, lobelia, petunia,
lily- of- the- valley and iris, as well as his better known experiments
with seedless grapes and daylily. His studies of grapes were in­terrupted
by a late spring frost, but some of his seedless varieties
have borne fruit for the first time. A bulletin describing the
progress and results of his work was published by the New York
State Agricultural Experiment Station.
Further advances have been made in the breeding of daylilies.
The marvelous improvements which Dr. Stout has made in these
old- fashioned flowers have drawn much attention and have re­sulted
in a great popular interest in their cultivation. His studies,
however, are not solely horticultural. The development of his
new improved varieties is largely incidental to his botanical re­search
into the taxonomy, cytology, and reproductive behavior of
the plants.
The research time of Dr. Dodge is still given to a cyto- genetic
study of the pink bread- mold, in which he has made numerous
discoveries of great scientific importance. These studies are based
primarily on the sexual stage of the plant, while most genetic re­search
is based on the non- sexual generation. During the year
Dr. Dodge published five articles presenting the results of his
investigations.
PHOTOGRAPHY
The work of photography has occupied the full time of our staff
photographer and of 15 to 30 hours per week of an assistant from
the Works Progress Administration. Nearly 1,300 negatives and
more than 4,000 prints have been made, as a record of the research
work and the horticultural activities of the Garden, and of these
many have been used for publication. More than 500 lantern
slides, most of them colored, have been made to illustrate the
numerous lectures given by members of the staff.
LIBRARY
Because of reduction in available funds, the growth of the
library has been less than usual. The number of bound volumes
has been increased by only 332, bringing the total content of the
library to 45,066 volumes.
Recommendations for the purchase of books have for the first
time been entrusted to a library committee. This committee has
also considered the periodicals received and has eliminated a num­ber
which are of little use to the work now in progress. Notwith­standing
this reduction in both books and journals, the library
continues to be adequate for our purposes.
It will soon be necessary to choose whether our library is to be
a general and comprehensive collection of works dealing with all
phases of botany and horticulture, or whether it shall be limited
generally to our own specific needs. Continued restriction of
funds will obviously compel us to choose the latter, while the
former will require much larger appropriations.
For many years the library has been too large for its own
quarters and book- shelves have filled half or more of the space
in three other rooms, all of which are needed for other purposes.
Consideration should be given to double- decking the present stack-room,
thereby doubling its shelf space and releasing the other
rooms. The cases for our card catalogs are also filled and need
to be extended.
87
PUBLICATIONS
Twelve issues of the Journal with 307 pages have been pub­lished
as usual, under the editorship of Miss Carol H. Woodward.
Two numbers of Addisonia have been edited by Mr. E. J.
Alexander. The high quality of the plates and letterpress has
been maintained. Numerous paintings for future use have been
made by Miss Margaret Sorensen.
In Brittonia, three numbers with 264 pages have been pub­lished
under the editorship of Dr. A. C. Smith. This highly
technical magazine is now used chiefly for exchange. Sufficient
manuscript is easily available to complete a volume each year, if
funds should be found.
The usual six numbers of Mycologia have been published, con­taining
633 pages. Under the management and editorship of Dr.
F. J. Seaver, this magazine continues to hold its high reputation.
It has a good subscription list and is one of the few botanical
magazines which are financially self- supporting.
No parts of North American Flora were issued in 1936, but
three manuscripts are now being edited for publication in 1937.
Effort has been made to encourage the research necessary to the
preparation of this work and it seems probable that future publi­cation
will go on much more rapidly than in the past.
Sales of other books published by the Garden, and written by
Rydberg, Gleason, and Britton continue at a normal rate.
The copyright of Britton & Brown, Illustrated Flora of the
Northern States and Canada, is now in the possession of the
Garden and Mrs. Addison Brown, jointly. With the cooperation
of Mrs. Brown, a reprint of the second edition appeared early in
1936 and has enjoyed a very encouraging sale.
EDUCATION AND LECTURES
The course for professional gardeners has been continued and
has now completed the first half of its fifth year. In order to
lighten the burden of instruction, which is given in the evening
and in addition to regular work, only the second year is now being
presented, while in the season of 1937- 38 only the first year will
be offered. Twenty- one students were graduated and received
certificates last April and 34 are now enrolled.
Practical training in gardening for a limited number of young
men with previous experience has been very successful. From a
considerable number of applicants we have always been able to
A typical exhibit in one of the special display houses in Conservatory Rang
select excellent men. They have proved themselves useful to us
and are themselves very well satisfied with the training they re­ceive
and with the opportunities for outside study which are avail­able
in our library, herbarium, and plantations.
One of our student gardeners was sent last April to England
for a year of practical experience in the Royal Botanic Gardens
at Kew and a Kew student is working with us in exchange. The
transportation expenses of both were met by the English Speaking
Union, to which we are deeply grateful. Arrangements are under
way for a second exchange during 1937- 38.
Extension courses of instruction in gardening, a course on native
ferns, and a course on trees and shrubs have been offered by Dr.
McLean.
89
chrysanthemums as they were seen by thousands of visitors last November.
During the year 35 public lectures, illustrated by lantern slides,
have been given on Saturday afternoons in the Museum Building.
Four- fifths of these were given by members of the Garden staff.
Classes from the public schools have visited the Garden in the
usual number. Many other students, especially from Fordham
University and Hunter College, have visited the Garden indepen­dently
to secure information required in their class work.
During the year 82 lectures have been given by members of
our staff to garden clubs and similar organizations. The Garden
has also cooperated in the programs of the Radio Garden Club
over Station WOR, taking charge of one program each month.
Hundreds of requests for information have been received from
individuals, schools, periodicals, industrial firms, and governmental
90
agencies, coming from every continent and covering a wide range
of subjects. All of these have received attention to the best of
our ability.
As usual, our library has been freely consulted by visitors, most
of whom seek information on some one definite subject.
MEMBERSHIP
The number of annual members has remained essentially un­changed.
The administration hopes that an increase will soon be
noted. To that end, numerous plans have been considered but so
far only one has been adopted. Beginning with the next issue, our
illustrated magazine Addisonia will be sent to every member. The
distribution of growing plants to members will also be continued,
since it has aroused much favorable comment in the past.
PENSIONS
Year by year more of the Garden employees reach an age or a
state of health which makes it inadvisable to continue them longer
in active service. Each of these cases has been considered in turn,
and to some of them the Board of Managers has granted a retiring
allowance. An examination of our books shows that six men are
now on pension and that two more will be after May first. The
annual cost to the Garden for these is a trifle more than $ 6,000.
The widespread development of pension systems, both public
and private, the general expectation of a retiring allowance now
held by employees in all industries, and the precedent already
established by the Garden in eight cases, compel us at least to
consider some system of pensions for all members of the Garden
staff. In the meantime, until some definite policy is adopted, we
must boldly face the fact that a dozen or more employees, several
at high salaries, will soon reach a retiring age or condition.
PERSONAL HONORS
Your director. Dr. M. A. Howe, served through the year as
president of the Torrey Botanical Club and received the gold medal
of the American Dahlia Society. Shortly before his death he was
elected president of the Botanical Society of America.
The deputy director was vice- president of the Botanical Society
of America, vice- president of the Torrey Botanical Club, and a
member of the National Research Council. For 1937 he has been
elected president of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists.
Dr. F. T. McLean has been president of the New York Bird and
Tree Club and president of the Metropolitan Gladiolus Society.
91
Dr. B. O. Dodge has served on the council of the Mycological
Society of America and as associate editor for the Botanical
Society of America.
Dr. F. J. Seaver has been editor for the Mycological Society of
America and a member of the council of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science.
Mr. T. H. Everett has been a director of the American Rock
Garden Society and vice- president of the American Amaryllis
Society.
Dr. A. B. Stout has been chairman of the committee on daylilies
for the American Amaryllis Society.
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
AS in previous years, the Garden has enjoyed the services of
many workers from the Works Progress Administration. Some
of these have served us for several years consecutively and have
become skilled in various phases of the routine work of the
Garden. They have assisted in many forms of research, some­times
in a highly technical capacity; they have mounted herbarium
specimens and incorporated them into our collections; they have
done much typing of manuscript and have copied thousands of
original descriptions of plants, often in a foreign language. They
have served as book- binders, typists, stenographers, elevator
operators, watchmen and guards, clean- up men, photographers,
artists, statisticians, gardeners and laborers. In fact, excepting
only our business office, there is no department of the Garden in
which they have not served and been of distinct and valuable
use to us.
We do not know, of course, how long or to what extent we shall
continue to profit by the collaboration of the Works Progress
Administration, but we are assured that there is no immediate
prospect that the service will cease.
In addition to labor, we have also received large quantities of
supplies, particularly stationery, artists' materials and herbarium
supplies.
We are deeply grateful to the Works Progress Administration
for the assistance, both material and personal, which has been
given us, and which has enabled us to undertake successfully
numerous lines of work which would otherwise have been
impossible.
H. A. GLEASON.
92
REPORT OF THE TREASURER FOR 1936
JOHN L. MERRILL, Treasurer
EXHIBIT I
BALANCE SHEET
December 31, 1936
ASSETS
Permanent Fund Assets:
Investments at cost or appraisal at
time of acquisition ( Exhibit III) $ 2,550,402.11
Cash awaiting investment 45,703.08
$ 2,596,105.19
Current and Working Assets:
Cash in banks and on hand:
For general purposes $ 12,108.45
For special purposes 4,741.28
$ 16,849.73
Accounts receivable — city main­tenance
15,901.82
Interest and dividends receivable
( Exhibit III) 24,435.62
Prepaid insurance premiums, etc... 2,432.66
— 59,619.83
$ 2,655,725.02
To THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN :
We have made an examination of the balance sheet of The New York
Botanical Garden as at December 31, 1936, and of the statement of opera­tions
for the year 1936. In connection therewith, we examined or tested
accounting records of the Garden and other supporting evidence and obtained
information and explanations from officers and employees of the corporation;
we also made a general review of the accounting methods and of the income
93
EXHIBIT I
BALANCE SHEET
December 31, 1936
Permanent Funds ( Exhibit IV) :
Restricted endowments $ 251,242.30
Unrestricted endowments, including
bequests set aside by the Board
of Managers as permanent funds 2,323,704.07
Special endowment with life interest
in respect of income therefrom.. 21,158.82
Current Liabilities and Special Funds:
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable $ 8,197.47
Special funds ( Exhibit V) :
Unexpended income from re­stricted
funds $ 2,775.34
Unexpended contributions set
aside by the Board of Man­agers
for specific purposes 1,965.""
$ 2,596,105.19
4,741.28
Deferred income credits:
Membership dues paid in ad­vance
$ 130.00
Subscriptions and fees paid in
advance 1,415.85
Working fund:
Balance at December 31, 1935... $ 45.135.23
Add— Excess of unrestricted in­come
over expenditures for
the year ending December 31,
1936 ( Exhibit II) 29,320.27
Deduct— Transferred to Special
Endowment Fund in accord­ance
with resolution of the
Board of Managers 29,320.27 45,135.23
59,619.83
$ 2,655,725.02
and expense accounts for the year, but we did not make a detailed audit
of the transactions.
In our opinion, based upon such examination, the attached balance sheet
( Exhibit I) and related statements ( Exhibits II to V, inclusive) fairly
present the position of The New York Botanical Garden at December 31,
1936, and the result of its transactions for the year.
PRICE, WATERHOUSE & Co.
56 Pine Street, New York, April 5, 1937.
EXHIBIT II
Statement of Operations for the Year Ending December 31, 1936
Restricted
Total
and special
funds
Unre­stricted
Income:
Income from investments of
permanent funds
Contributions:
City maintenance
Other
Membership dues:
Annual
Sustaining and fellowship.
Sales of duplicate books and
sundries
Subscriptions and sales of
publications
Total income
Expenses:
Horticulture:
Salaries $ 55,162.70
Plants, seeds, supplies, etc. 5,429.65
Science and curating:
Salaries $ 49,896.92
Specimens, supplies, etc... 6,549.71
Library:
Salaries $ 7,784.61
New books, periodicals, etc. 2,371.42
Education:
Salaries $ 8,804.40
Instruction, lectures, etc.. 2,930.74
Publications:
Printing, mailing, etc
Administration:
Salaries $ 29,262.89
Stationery, telephone, post­age,
etc 10,331.55
Care and up- keep— Grounds:
Salaries $ 34,699.59
Wages 25,915.59
Supplies, etc 4,852.91
Care and up- keep— Buildings:
Salaries $ 49,094.93
Fuel, light, power, etc.... 29,379.43
Improvements and equipment
purchases
Totals:
Salaries $ 234,706.04
Wages 25,915.59
Other expenses 76,230.30
$ 129,296.69 $ 10,840.00 $ 118,456.69
211,365.06
3,209.20
8,960.00
2,090.00
2,520.28
9,507.16
2,734.20
466.45
6,580.53
211,365.06
475.00
8,960.00
2,090.00
2,053.83
2,926.63
$ 366,948.39 $ 20,621.18 $ 346,327.21
; 60,592.35 $ 1,912.43 $ 58,679.92
56,446.63 5,329.23 51,117.40
10,156.03
11,735.14
12,223.44
39,594.44
65,468.09
78,474.36
2,161.45
3.09 7,767.94
1,216.39
8,973.85
10,518.75
3,249.59
25.00 65,443.09
78,474.36
2,161.45
Excess of income for the year.
$ 336,851.93 $ 19,844.99 $ 317,006.94
$ 30.096.46 $ 776.19 $ 29,320.27
EXHIBIT III
Summary of Investments, December 31, 1936
General funds:
Stocks:
Preferred ..
Common . ..
Sage fund:
Bonds . . . . . ..
Stocks:
Preferred ..
Common .. .
Special endow­ment
fund:
Bonds
Stocks:
Preferred ..
Common . ..
John D. Rocke­feller,
Jr.,
fund:
Bonds
Preferred
stocks
Special trust
fund:
Common stock
Par value
( no par
value stocks
at book
value)
$ 513,800.00
144,505.00
28,923.80
$ 687,228.80
$ 486,000.00
208,730.34
101,195.00
$ 795,925.34
$ 141,000.00
281,437.50
19,000.00
$ 441,437.50
$ 245,000.00
214,137.50
$ 459,137.50
$ 16,371.45
$ 2,400,100.59
Approximate
quoted value
$ 560,080.43
181,746.88
15,082.00
$ 756,909.31
$ 528,536.25
260,690.63
204,127.50
$ 993,354.38
$ 153,996.25
402,418.75
36,371.25
$ 592,786.25
$ 279,214.50
306,618.75
$ 585,833.25
$ 8,496.00
$ 2,937,379.19
Book value,
representing
cost or
appraisal at
time of
acquisition
$ 523,096.87
159,962.50
28,923.80
$ 711,983.17
$ 448,798.75
219,677.85
133,113.04
$ 801,589.64
$ 141,317.25
337,656.88
46,245.16
$ 525.219.29
$ 247,913.55
247,325.01
$ 495,238.56
$ 16,371.45
$ 2,550,402.11
Accrued
interest
and
dividends
December
31, 1936
$ 4,529.37
1,225.00
$ 5,754.37
$ 5,903.32
1,637.50
1,750.00
$ 9,290.82
$ 2,274.15
2,537.50
300.00
$ 5,111.65
$ 2,285.03
1,993.75
$ 4,278.78
$ 24,435.62
Average yield
per year on
basis of
Quot­ed
value
</ o
4.06
4.70
2.65
4.18
3.61
4.42
4.21
3.95
3.85
4.42
3.30
4.21
3.65
4.37
4.03
4.07
Book
value
%
4.34
5.34
1.38
4.45
4.26
5.25
6.46
4.89
4.20
5.27
2.59
4.75
4.11
5.42
4.76
4.68
INVESTMENTS
Summary of Average Yields for Year
On basis of
Quoted value Book value
%
Bonds 3.81 4.26
Stocks:
Preferred 4.45
Common 3.86
4.07
5.32
4.54
96
EXHIBIT IV
Statement of Permanent Funds Showing Changes During the Year Ending
December 31, 1936
Restricted endowments:
Endowment for science and education
Addison Brown Fund
Olivia E. and Caroline Phelps Stokes Fund
Charles Budd Robinson Fund
Alexander P. Anderson and Lydia Ander­son
Research and Fellowship Fund
Students' Research Fund
Endowment for the publication of
" Mycologia"
Nathaniel Lord Britton and Elizabeth Ger­trude
Britton Fund
Unrestricted endowments:
David Lydig Fund
William R. Sands Fund
Fanny Bridgham Fund
Russell Sage and Margaret Olivia Sage
The John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Fund
The Charles Patrick Daly and Maria Lydig
The James A. Scrymser and Mary C.
Scrymser Fund
The George N. Best Fund
Special endowment:
Balance
January
1, 1936
$ 89,115.49
21,149.31
35,347.63
25,000.00
5,030.63
755.04
5,000.00
10,000.00
10,162.00
2,000.00
24,440.00
$ 228,000.10
$ 241,692.18
34,337.86
10.000.00
48,099.17
10.000.00
30,000.00
25.000.00
787,967.95
2,304.67
527,445.99
505.964.00
19,636.34
12,750.00
3,000.00
$ 2,258,198.16
$ 21,158.82
$ 2,507,357.08
Additions
and
Deductions*
$ 175.00
2,500.00
20,567.20
$ 23,242.20
$ 26,529.66
14,839.88
25,198.87
— 1,062.50
$ 65,505.91
$ 88,748.11
Balance
December
31, 1936
$ 89,115.49
21,149.31
35,347.63
25,000.00
5,030.63
755.04
5,000.00
10,000.00
10,337.00
4,500.00
45,007.20
$ 251,242.30
$ 268,221.84
34,337.86
10,000.00
48,099.17
10,000.00
30,000.00
25,000.00
802,807.83
2,304.67
552,644.86
504,901.50
19,636.34
12,750.00
3,000.00
$ 2,323,704.07
$ 21,158.82
$ 2,596,105.19
* Indicated by minus sign (—).
97
EXHIBIT V
SPECIAL FUNDS
Statement of Application of Income from Restricted Permanent Funds and Special
Funds Designated for Specific Purposes
Restricted permanent funds:
Endowment for science and education:
Public lectures and instruction,
research and publications other
Addison Brown Fund:
John Innes Kane Fund:
Plant purchases and expenses
Maria De Witt Jesup Fund:
Botanical collections and binding
Olivia E. and Caroline Phelps Stokes
Fund:
Investigation and preservation of
Charles Budd Robinson Fund:
Exploration
The H. H. Memorial Fund:
Development of model gardens...
Alexander P. Anderson and Lydia
Anderson Research and Fellowship
Fund:
Students' Research Fund:
Scholarships and prizes
Mycologia Fund:
Publication of " Mycologia"
Transfer to " Mycologia" Endow-
Nathaniel Lord Britton and Elizabeth
Gertrude Britton Fund:
Research, exploration, publication,
purchase of plants, books, speci-
Special funds contributed for specific
purposes:
Southern Appalachian and Rocky
Special study of grapes
Research aid
Others
Balance
January
1, 1936
$ 1,262.87
114.16
1,621.43
262.72
45.96
3.39
616.90
94.81
494.07
120.99
$ 4,637.30
$ 1,463.57
185.08
56.79
122.35
$ 1.827.79
$ 6,465.09
Additions
$ 3,875.30
1,759.45
1,537.10
1,087.25
218.95
32.50
217.90
434.70
449.90
5,849.78
1,957.70
$ 17,420.53
$ 466.45
2,174.20
100.00
400.00
60.00
$ 3,200.65
$ 20,621.18
Expendi­tures
and
transfers
$ 5,138.17
1,873.61
1,691.14
1,219.05
264.91
32.50
221.29
300.00
500.00
3,463.13)
)
2,500.00)
2,078.69
$ 19,282.49
$ 492.67
2,193.16
337.92
38.75
$ 3,062.50
$ 22,344.99
Balance
December
31, 1936
$ 1,467.39
751.60
44.71
380.72
$ 2,775.34
$ 1,437.35
166.12
156.79
62.08
143.60
$ 1,965.94
$ 4,741.28
AT THE XEW YORK FLOWER SHOW
Among the outstanding exhibits staged by members of The
New York Botanical Garden at the International Flower Show in
New York, March 15- 20, was the large rose garden shown on the
main floor by Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Field. Pleasing in its sim­plicity
of design, with hybrid tea roses backed mainly by rhododen­drons,
it was noteworthy also for the excellence of the plants, a
quality which frequenters of the Flower Show have learned to
expect from the Field exhibits.
Daffodils were shown exceptionally well by Mr. J. P. Morgan,
who staged a formal garden; he also displayed cut blooms for
which a gold medal was awarded. Mr. Henry W. de Forest won
first prize for a display of a dozen pots of blue freesias.
The clematis shown by Col. J. E. Spingarn was awarded the
gold medal of the Garden Club of America and also a gold medal
and a special prize from the Flower Show Committee. The cita­tion
announcing the medal from the Garden Club of America
spoke of the educational value of the exhibit, its likelihood of
stimulating other growers, and of its high standard of excellence.
Col. Spingarn showed 150 plants, representing ten species native
to the United States, seven native to Asia and Europe, thirty- two
named varieties of large- flowered hybrids, and also unnamed
seedlings of this group. Information about the species and the
derivation of the principal hybrids was given on clearly printed
placards, an additional one of which gave simple cultural direc­tions.
One small placard made clear the pronunciation of the
name, giving it as c/<? m'- a- tis, with the admonition, " Don't say
clem- aif'- is or clenwry'- tis."
Col. Robert H. Montgomery of Cos Cob, Conn., and Coconut
Grove, Fla., was awarded first prize for a garden consisting
largely of Japanese primulas. He also won for this display the
trophy of the International Exposition Company, presented for
the finest of four exhibits in the class which called for a garden of
seasonal material covering approximately 375 square feet of space.
This was Col. Montgomery's initial garden exhibit at the Flower
Show, and his display was looked upon as an outstanding achieve­ment.
Not only were his Japanese primulas of exceptional quality,
but this was the first time that these plants have appeared in any
quantity at a New York show.
99
EASTER DISPLAY AT THE GARDEN
A record crowd of 20,000 visited the special display in Con­servatory
Range No. 1 between Good Friday ( March 26) and
Easter Sunday, and throughout the following week several addi­tional
thousand people came daily to view the flowers.
To make room for the Easter plants, the large collection of
begonias was moved into another section of the conservatory.
More than 5,000 pots of plants at the height of their bloom
comprised this early spring exhibit.
The original show included more than 300 Easter lilies, several
thousand tulips, many narcissi and hyacinths, more than 200 pots
of flowering bulbs from South Africa, a similar number of showy
South African annuals, about 250 cinerarias of many colors, and
500 primulas in variety, in addition to innumerable other species
and varieties of flowering plants, many of which are rarely seen
elsewhere in cultivation.
Among several types of Easter lilies grown for the early spring
show, by far the finest were the plants of Lilium longiflorum
variety Americus, of which fifty bulbs were donated by William
M. Hunt & Company of New York City.
HONORARY SCROLL PRESENTED TO DR. SMALL
One of the five honorary scrolls to be awarded this year by the
Columbia Graduate School Alumni Association was presented to
Dr. John K. Small of The New York Botanical Garden. The
recipients were chosen in recognition of their " outstanding con­tributions
to the human race." Announcement of the awards was
made March 2.
Dr. Small's scroll, which is signed by Alarston T. Bogert,
Chairman, and Charles J. Hoffmann, Secretary of the Association,
speaks of Dr. Small " as having made an outstanding contribution
as a botanist and by his plant collections and popular and scien­tific
studies which have made life more tolerable; as an explorer
and author concerning the flora of southeastern United States."
Other recipients of scrolls this year were William Crocker,
Director of the Boyce Thompson Institute; Victor Emanuel
Levine, Professor of Biological Chemistry at Creighton Uni­versity,
Jesse Feiring Williams of Teachers' College, and Blanche
Colton Williams of Hunter College.
100
THE JAPANESE BEETLE AND IRIS RHIZOME ROT
The bacteria causing the foul- smelling iris rhizome rot gain
entrance into the plant tissues through wounds resulting from
careless breaking of leaves and wounding of rhizomes and roots
in cultivation. It is also well known that the iris borer, Macro-noctua
onusta, is an important factor in spreading the disease.
The young larvae bore into the leaves in the spring, affording an
excellent opportunity for the entrance of the bacteria. The rot
quickly spreads down the leaves and into the rhizomes.
Another agent for the spread of the disease may be the larvae
of the Japanese beetle. During the early part of October last
year several plants in the new iris garden were found completely
rotted. As this bed was on a slope where rain water from the
infected plants could run down around the lower plants, the con­ditions
were right for a rapid extension of the disease. While
digging out the dead plants and treating others showing earlier
stages of the rot, we often found larvae of the Japanese beetle
feeding near the crowns and roots. As there were no iris borers
present it seems very likely that the beetle larvae by their feeding
were a prime factor in the original infections. The soil in this plot
had been given a rather light surface application of arsenate of
lead just before the grass seed was sown. This part of the old
lawn had been infested with Japanese beetle larvae for several
years past. Because the soil was very poor an additional two or
three inches of untreated good soil was added in July in prepara­tion
for the new iris planting. Whether the larvae found in
October came from eggs laid after the irises were planted or
whether the eggs had been laid in the old soil previously is un­certain.
In an effort to stop the spread of the rot the dead plants were
dug up and destroyed, and the soil was drenched with a solution
of semesan. Plants that were only partially rotted were freed
from the decayed parts and treated with, semesan. All of the
beds were then given a surface application of powdered arsenate
of lead, 10 pounds to 1,000 square feet. The effect of this poison
on irises is a question, but it was evident that the beetle infestation
must be checked if control of the rot was to be obtained.
B. O. DODGE.
101
NOTES, NEWS, AND COMMENT
Speaking at the monthly conference of the scientific staff and
registered students of the Garden on March 10, Ellys Butler
Moldenke reviewed her experiences in studying the Patellariaceae
in European herbaria. Robert Hagelstein told of his many ex­cursions
made last year for the collection of Myxomycetes in
eastern United States.
* * *
A. E. Porsild, Botanist with the National Museum of Canada
at Ottawa, Ontario, spent several days at The New York Botanical
Garden in March, studying plants of Yukon Territory by com­parison
with our extensive herbarium material.
* * *
Clement G. Bowers, author of " Observations of Hardiness in
Ghent Hybrid Azaleas and their Allies," which appears on page 73
this month, is a former student at The New York Botanical
Garden and the author of " Rhododendrons and Azaleas," an im­portant
work of 549 pages, published last year by Macmillan. In
a future issue of the Journal, Dr. Bowers will write of the out­door
culture of azaleas.
* * *
The following visiting botanists registered in the library during
the winter: Dr. E. D. Merrill, Jamaica Plain, Mass.; Dr. Lyman
B. Smith, Cambridge, Mass.; Mr. Stuart K. Harris, Boston,
Mass.; Mr. A. Gershoy, Burlington, Vt.; Miss Mildred T. Travis,
Dr. F. W. Pennell, and Mr. Arthur N. Leeds, Philadelphia, Pa.;
Dr. Edward H. Graham, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Mr. Robert T. Clausen,
Ithaca, N. Y.; Mr. C. J. Hylander, Hamilton, N. Y.; Mr. and
Mrs. Mahmoud Helmy, Royal Egyptian Legation, Washington,
D. C.; Dr. William C. Steere and Dr. Carl D. LaRue, Ann Arbor,
Mich.; Dr. D. T. MacDougal, Carmel, Calif.; Mr. G. R. Bisby,
Imperial Mycological Institute, Kew, England; Mr. Andre de
Vilmorin, Paris, France, and Dr. Mel T. Cook, Rio Piedras,
Puerto Rico. * * #
Dr. John Hendley Barnhart has recently received a certificate
of his election in May, 1936, to correspondent membership in the
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He has also been
made a corresponding member of the Philadelphia Botanical Club.
* * *
Dr. W. H. Camp returned March 21 after more than three
months in Mexico, where he collected extensively in the moun­tains
of western, central, and eastern Oaxaca. In addition to
several duplicate sets of herbarium specimens, in which the
Vacciniaceae and Ericaceae, collected for special study, predomi­nate,
he brought back nearly a hundred different kinds of living
plants, among them orchids, bromeliads, cacti, and other
succulents.
102
REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS
( All publications reviewed here may be consulted in the Library of
The New York Botanical Garden.)
FROM FOREST TO FURNITURE
Malcolm H. Sherwood's recent contribution to the study of
wood 1 pleasantly serves the desirable purpose of awakening the
reader from a too frequent lethargic state in which, because he is
blinded to the romance that may be interwoven even with the
commonplace, he accepts objects around him as things to be taken
for granted. In this study the object is wood, and the author
shows how ample a scope the discriminating eye of the connois­seur
and the esthetic taste of the artist have in furniture and
cabinet- making— not merely as trades but as forms of art.
Sixty different woods are described in as many chapters, and if
there be any criticism it would concern the brevity of the accounts.
Technicalities have been deliberately avoided and in their place
appear through interesting anecdotes the personal experiences of
an author whose extensive contacts with the subject lend them a
piquancy that is an asset. For the student, a supplementary table,
a bibliography, and an index give additional value to the book.
EDMUND H. FULLING.
A MASTERPIECE ON TREES
While much has been written by many authors on trees and
their relation to humanity, to Dr. Cross must go the palm for
originality of presentation in his book on trees. 2 The reader is
captivated and imbued with the author's own enthusiasm and love
for his subject.
In a literary style that possesses force as well as arresting charm
Dr. Cross vividly portrays the part that trees have played in the
welfare of nations and of peoples. Writing at a time when floods
and dust storms are forcing the people off the land and threatening
to cut down our productive areas, he expounds with no uncertain
force the story of the crimes that have been perpetrated against
our forests, leaving us today a legacy that must be paid off in
human suffering.
1 Sherwood, Malcolm H., From Forest to Furniture. 284 pages, illus­trated,
indexed. W. W. Norton & Co.. New York. 1936. $ 3.
2 Cross, Dr. P. G.. Our Friends the Trees, 322 pages, illustrated, indexed.
E. P. Dutton & Co., New York, 1936. $ 5.
103
In a country that is fast approaching that fullness of nationhood
which demands that all our natural resources should be jealously
guarded against depletion, this book carries a message and a
warning that no thinking American can afford to ignore, for it
drives home with clear- cut phrases the fact that the presence of
trees is a national asset while their absence increases the load of
human woe and constitutes a national calamity of the first
magnitude.
It is a book that can be profitably enjoyed not only by those
who own trees, or those whose lives are " blissfully cast amongst
them," but particularly by every city dweller, for it will teach
him the companionship of trees that really are the friends of man.
For the tree owner, also, the book is a mine of information on
the care, repair, and upkeep of trees. There is a long list of trees
suitable for different situations as well as helpful advice on prun­ing,
feeding, and planting. The author's advice on the manage­ment
of evergreens is sound, as is the way in which he treats the
subject of hedges and windbreaks. Applying the information
given, the tree owner cannot fail to get the most from his trees.
In whatever phase of trees he treats, Dr. Cross writes dynami­cally.
His facts and information have been marshalled with
diligence and accuracy, yet given with simplicity and directness
and the sincere conviction of a man who has a thorough grasp of
his subject.
Altogether " Our Friends the Trees" is a laudable work.
P. J. MCKENNA.
PLANT PROPAGATION, VINES, AND FRAGRANT PLANTS
A concise treatment of most phases of plant propagation for the
garden is offered in Dr. Fairburn's well written little book. 3
Planned especially for beginners in gardening, this volume ex­plains
in detail the various methods of propagation such as seeds,
cuttings, layering, division, as well as budding and grafting. It
treats of the fundamental principles of the care of propagation
materials, which is so essential for any degree of success. The
illustrations will help to clarify the descriptions in the mind of
the gardener. Many will be disappointed to find no mention of
the various growth substances that are sweeping the country with
their popularity. However, as a whole, this book can be recom­mended
to the garden enthusiast for its practical contents.
I find Miss Jenkins' book on vines 4 rather a brief treatment for
3 Fairburn, Dr. David C. Plant Propagation for the Garden. 115 pages,
illustrated, indexed. Doubleday, Doran & Company, New York. 1937. $ 1.
4 Jenkins, Dorothy H. Vines For Every Garden. 95 pages, illustrated,
indexed. Doubleday, Doran & Company. New York. 1937. $ 1.
104
such a broad subject. However, the selection of annual vines is
quite complete and should prove interesting to the novice. Many
helpful suggestions are given for the planting and use of each
vine mentioned. In her discussion of perennial vines, however, the
author has omitted much of the important information which the
novice should know beforehand . . . such information as the
difference in sexes of plants like Celastrus scandens, and the detri­mental
effect of the Japanese beetle on many of this group. The
fancier will find no mention of many of the rarer vines or the
shrubs that may be treated as vines with a bit of training.. The
conclusion has a brief descriptive index which classifies each
subject mentioned.
Anne Dorrance's book 5 should prove interesting to those who
like the fragrant gardens which of late have become quite popular.
The author has divided the fragrance of flowers into three seasons:
early, midsummer, and late. One third of her book has been
devoted to a list of fragrant plants with brief descriptions as to
their color, scent, and time of bloom. However, an amateur would
have to use this list with discretion, as many of the plants men­tioned
are not hardy in the north. The last few pages are devoted
to the making of perfumes by the novice from garden flowers.
JOSEPH TANSEY.
GARDENING TASKS MONTH BY MONTH
A little book that should prove useful to the amateur is Cecile
Hulse Matschat's Garden Calendar. 6 It deals extensively with
garden operations to be done month by month throughout the year.
Its main fault is that it tells what to do rather than how, so
that one must have some knowledge of gardening and considerable
equipment before being able to put its suggestions into practice.
Granted these means, beginners who do not know just how and
when to commence their work may be guided in the systematic
arrangement of their gardening tasks. Even through the winter
months, when most people think that gardening is at a standstill,
this little book holds many suggestions, such as the care of house
plants, spraying of trees and shrubs, proper cleaning of tools, and
many other things to which time can not be devoted during the
busy season. With a little common sense and sufficient study of
plant materials, this garden calendar should be a practical guide for
garden lovers in both temperate and sub- tropical regions.
HILDEGARD SCHNEIDER.
5 Dorrance, Anne. Fragrance in the Garden. 96 pages, illustrated,
indexed. Doubleday, Doran & Company, New York. 1937. $ 1.
G Matschat, Cecile Hulse, The Garden Calendar. 118 pages, illustrated.
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 1936. $ 1.
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
BOARD OF MANAGERS
I. ELECTIVE MANAGERS
Until 1938: L. H. BAILEY, MARSHALL FIELD, MRS. ELOX HUNTINGTON
HOOKER, JOHN L. MERRILL ( Vice- president), COL. ROBERT H. MONTGOMERY,
H. HOBART PORTER, and RAYMOND H. TORREY.
Until 1939: ARTHUR M. ANDERSON, HENRY W. DE FOREST ( President),
CLARENCE LEWIS, E. D. MERRILL, and HENRY DE LA MONTAGNE ( Secretary and
Assistant Treasurer).
Until 1940: HENRY DE FOREST BALDWIN ( Vice- president), CHILDS FRICK,
ADOLPH LEWISOHN, HENRY LOCKHART, JR., D. T. MACDOUGAL, and JOSEPH
R. SWAN ( Treasurer).
II. EX- OFFICIO MANAGERS
FIORELLO H. LAGUARDIA, Mayor of the City of New York.
ROBERT MOSES, Park Commissioner.
HENRY C. TURNER, President of the Board of Education.
III. APPOINTIVE MANAGERS
TRACY E. HAZEN, appointed by the Torrey Botanical Club.
R. A. HARPER, SAM F. TRELEASE, EDMUND W. SINNOTT, and MAKSTON T.
BOGEKT, appointed by Columbia University.
GARDEN STAFF
H. A. GLEASON, PH. D Deputy Director and Head Curator
HENRY DE LA MONTAGNE Assistant Director
JOHN K. SMALL, P H . D., Sc. D Chief Research Associate and Curator
A. B. STOUT, P H . D Director of the Laboratories
FRED J. SEAVER, PH. D., Sc. D Curator
BERNARD O. DODGE, PH. D Plant Pathologist
FORMAN T. MCLEAN, M. F., P H . D Supervisor of Public Education
JOHN HENDLEY BARNHART, A. M., M. D.. . Bibliographer and Admin. Assistant
PERCY WILSON Associate Curator
ALBERT C. SMITH, P H . D Associate Curator
SARAH H. HARLOW, A. M Librarian
H. H. RUSBY, M. D Honorary Curator of the Economic Collections
FLEDA GRIFFITH Artist and Photographer
ROBERT S. WILLIAMS Research Associate in Bryology
E. J. ALEXANDER Assistant Curator and Curator of the Local Herbarium
HAROLD N. MOLDENKE, P H . D Assistant Curator
W. H. CAMP, P H . D Assistant Curator
CLYDE CHANDLER, A. M Technical Assistant
ROSALIE WEIKERT Technical Assistant
CAROL H. WOODWARD, A. B Editorial Assistanl
THOMAS H. EVERETT, N. D. HORT Horticulturist
G. L. WITTROCK, A. M Docent
OTTO DEGENER, M. S Collaborator in Haivaiian Botany
ROBERT HAGELSTEIN Honorary Curator of Myxomycetes
ETHEL ANSON S. PECKHAM.. Honorary Curator, Iris and Narcissus Collections
ARTHUR J. CORBETT Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds
A. C. PFANDER Assistant Superintendent
MEMBERSHIP IN THE GARDEN
Established as a privately endowed institution, aided partially by City appro­priations,
The New York Botanical Garden is dependent for its progress largely
upon benefactions and memberships. Through these means, though young as botani­cal
gardens go, it has become the third largest institution of its kind, its library,
herbarium, and horticultural collections ranking among the finest and most complete
in any country.
Membership in The New York Botanical Garden, therefore, means promotion
of scientific research in botany and the advancement of horticultural interests.
Scientifically, the Garden is able to serve as a clearing- house of information for
students and botanists all over the world; horticulturally, it often serves as a link
between the plant explorer or breeder and the gardening public.
Through memberships and benefactions, provision is made at the Botanical
Garden for the training of young scientists and student gardeners; hundreds of new
books are added annually to the library, which is open daily to the public for re­search
and reading; free exhibits are maintained in the museum, the greenhouses,
and gardens, and lectures, courses, and free information in botany and gardening
are given to the public.
Each individual member of the Garden receives:
( 1) A copy of the Journal every month.
( 2) A copy of Addisonia twice a year, each number illustrated with
eight colored plates of unusual plants, accompanied by complete descrip­tions
and other pertinent information.
( 3) A share of surplus plant material of interesting or new varieties
whenever it is distributed.
( 4 ) Announcements of special floral displays at the Garden from
season to season.
( 5 ) Credit, to the extent of the membership fee paid, toward courses
of study offered by the Garden.
A limited number of garden clubs are accepted as affiliates. The privileges of
affiliation are a subscription to the Journal, announcements of displays, a specially
conducted tour of the grounds and greenhouses, and a lecture once a year by a
selected member of the staff.
Fellowships or scholarships for practical student- training in horticulture or for
botanical research may be established by bequest or other benefaction either in
perpetuity or for a definite period.
The classes of membership and types of benefaction are as follows:
Annual Member
Sustaining Member
Garden Club Affiliation
Fellowship Member
Member for Life
Fellow for Life
Patron
Benefactor
annual fee
annual fee
annual fee for club
annual fee
single contribution
single contribution
single contribution
single contribution
10
25
25
100
250
1,000
5,000
25,000
Contributions to the Garden may be deducted from taxable incomes. The
following is a legally approved form of bequest:
I hereby bequeath to The New Yor\ Botanical Garden incorporated under the
Laws of New York, Chapter 285 of 1891, the sum of .
Conditional bequests may be made with income payable to donor or any
designated beneficiary during his or her lifetime.
All requests for further information should be addressed to The New York
Botanical Garden, Bronx Park, New York, N. Y.

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Observations of Hardiness in Ghent Hybrid Azaleas and Their Allies; Stephen G. Cutting Chosen for Year at Kew; Lord Aberconway Visits the Garden; Report of the Deputy Director for 1936; Report of the Treasurer for 1936; At the New York Flower Show; Easter Display at the Garden; Honorary Scroll Presented to Dr. Small; The Japanese Beetle and Iris Rhizome Rot; Notes, News, and Comment; Reviews of Recent Books.

VOL. XXXVIII APRIL, 1937 NTo. 44S
JOURNAL
of
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
Published monthly by The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx Park, Xew York. X. Y.
Entered at the Post Office in New York, N. Y., as second- class matter.
Annual subscription $ 1.00 Single copies 10 cents
Free to members of the Garden
JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
CAROL H. WOODWARD, Editor
APRIL, 1937
HORTICULTURAL VARIETIES OF RANUNCULUS Front Cover
OBSERVATIONS OF HARDINESS IN GHENT HYBRID AZALEAS
AND THEIR ALLIES Clement G. Bowers 73
STEPHEN G. CUTTING CHOSEN FOR YEAR AT KEW 79
LORD ABERCONWAY VISITS THE GARDEN 79
REPORT OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR 1936 80
REPORT OF THE TREASURER FOR 1936 -• 92
AT THE NEW YORK FLOWER SHOW 98
EASTER DISPLAY AT THE GARDEN 99
HONORARY SCROLL PRESENTED TO DR. SMALL 99
THE JAPANESE BEETLE AND IRIS RHIZOME ROT B. O. Dodge 100
NOTES, NEWS, AND COMMENT 101
REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 102
THE LIBRARY
Rich in historic volumes from the earliest days of printing, in works
which are landmarks of scientific progress in later centuries, and similarly
furnished with reports on the latest research, The New York Botanical
Garden possesses, in 45,000 bound volumes, the country's largest library
combining horticulture and botany.
Besides being virtually complete in that ultimate source of all botanists,
the works of Linnaeus in their many editions, the Library also contains
full sets of the world's leading periodicals on botany and horticulture.
Every issue, for instance, of Curtis's Botanical Magazine from its inception
in 1787, is on the shelves. The classic herbals of Hieronymus, Gesner,
Fuchs, Dodoens, and others number nearly 300 volumes. The famous Cox
collection of Darwiniana is also owned by the Botanical Garden.
Nearly all of the magnificent folio works of the elder Jacquin, including
his rare American flora, which Andrew Carnegie presented at a cost of
more than $ 1,000, are in the Botanical Garden's library. This remarkable
work of the mid- eighteenth century, of which only 18 copies were ever
published, contains 264 plates hand- drawn in color.
Gifts and purchases of other historic source books, which are essential
to the scientist, have also combined to make this library an important study
center. For research, especially in systematic botany, it rarely occurs that
the required reference is lacking.
Based upon the botanical library of Columbia University, most of which
was deposited here in 1901, the present library of the Garden aims to keep
up to date by the addition of current publications on botany, horticulture,
and related subjects. Though hampered in recent years because of lack of
funds for the purchase and proper housing of many books desired, it con- _
tinues to serve its users well. The collection has been developed primarily
for the aid of members of the staff, students, and visiting botanists, but is
placed also at the disposal of the public, who are free to consult its volumes
in the reading room.
JOURNAL
of
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
VOL. XXXVIII APRIL, 1937 , No. 448
OBSERVATIONS OF HARDINESS IN GHENT HYBRID
AZALEAS AND THEIR ALLIES
Some years ago, while examining the Ghent and Mollis hybrid
azaleas then growing on the grounds of the New York Botanical
Garden, I became interested in the fact that certain of these shrubs
were fifteen or twenty years old and fairly thrifty despite a com­mon
superstition that varieties such as these were short- lived,
thriftless, and subject to " dwindling" or dying back when grown
in this region. It had been well known to the importers of Dutch
and Belgian azaleas that the Ghent hybrids and their allies seldom
persisted for long in America and that thousands of these plants
imported in former years had failed to endure.
Before discovering the age of the plants at the Botanical
Garden, I had observed this " dwindling" process in the azalea
collections of Long Island and New Jersey. Briefly described,
one might say that a plant which had been at first in a thrifty con­dition
would become checked in growth and occasionally the foliage
would become pale. During subsequent winters the unthrifty
branches would die back and the plant would become smaller from
one year to the next until finally giving up its struggle for life.
Although the summer growth was poor, actual death of the woody
parts would occur during the winter. The natural inference,
therefore, was that these varieties were winter- tender and that
this characteristic was responsible for their failure to adapt them­selves
to American climatic conditions.
The finding of the older plants, in fair vigor, at the New York
Botanical Garden led me to observe others. Specimens were found
at various places in Massachusetts, at Rochester, N. Y., and at
73
74
other points in New York State where the weather was even
colder. It was a pleasant surprise to find these reputedly tender
shrubs, all apparently happy and vigorous, surviving the exceed­ingly
cold winter temperatures of upstate New York and New
England.
Putting together the facts concerning the azalea plants that
were thrifty led to the observation that these successful ones were
especially well supplied with moisture during the summer months.
The best Ghent hybrids at the Botanical Garden at that time were
those which had been planted in or near herbaceous borders which
were being watered throughout the growing season. Those at
Rochester were arranged so that the soil could be irrigated when­ever
the weather became very dry. At other places the soil was
kept moist by a mulch of leaves which was maintained throughout
the year. In still another instance the plants were growing on the
banks of a stagnant pond where there was much atmospheric
moisture due to frequent fogs and where the plants were protected
from dry winds by a heavy wood. Inquiry of experienced azalea
growers elicited the opinion that summer moisture conditions were
perhaps involved in these successes.
Encouraged by these evidences of thrift and wishing to test the
matter further, I undertook a trial planting of three varieties in
1930. In a particularly cold section of Broome County, New
York, plants from Long Island which were already in the
" dwindling" process were planted in a well drained bed composed
of one part acid peatmoss and one part garden loam, prepared to
a depth of eighteen inches. After planting in April, the bed was
covered with a mulch of oak leaves eight inches deep. In Novem­ber
a frame covered with burlap was built around the bed and re­tained
until the following April. Later results indicated that this
burlap protection was not needed.
Some of the older unthrifty wood was lost the first winter, but
as soon as the plants became well established they developed new
stems from the base and entered upon a season of active growth
which has been repeated every year since that time. During their
six years in Broome County, these original plants have grown
from mediocre examples of eighteen inches into broad, well pro­portioned
shrubs of five and six feet, being covered every June
with a wealth of bloom which fairly radiates glory. Every winter
the temperature has dropped to at least twenty- five degrees below
75
zero, and in 1934 a record low temperature of — 38° F. was
reached with sub- zero temperatures nearly every day for some
weeks. Although these temperatures have been cold enough to
kill all the flower buds on the evergreen rhododendrons ( such as
Rhododendron catawbiense and R. maximum) which were grow­ing
in the same beds and have killed the torch azalea, R. Kaemp­feri,
to the ground, the Ghent hybrids have bloomed abundantly
A branch of one of the Ghent hybrid azaleas which has proved its hardi­ness
at The New York Botanical Garden.
every year. During one January a heavy snowfall broke down
the burlap covering which was protecting the azalea bed, so that
these plants had to finish the winter with no overhead protection
whatever. The plants were quite unharmed and bloomed as usual
in June, despite the fact that the mercury descended to thirty
degrees below zero after all protection had been removed. While
there is probably much difference between varieties in respect to
winter hardiness, these results should at least establish a reputa­tion
for the hardiness of those which were tested, namely:
76
Coccinea Speciosa, Daviesii and Pucelle. It seems probable that
a large number of other clonal varieties are equally hardy, since
they have been found growing in cold regions. It would not be
surprising to see a rather long list of hardy Ghent and Mollis
azaleas assembled when additional sorts are grown and tested..
That the success of these plants was mainly due to favorable
water relations during the growing season may be inferred from
the evidence at hand, although such a conjecture needs confirma­tion
by subsequent physiological study. During the rather serious
drought conditions prevalent in the region for several summers,
the soil in these azalea beds was always cool and moist, without
sogginess but well aerated and never unduly dry. If one were to
plunge his hand into the soil beneath the leafy mulch on a hot dry
day, the peaty soil would feel soft and about as moist as a damp
sponge. This uniformity of moisture supply is a factor which
undoubtedly kept the plants in a steady condition of vegetative
vigor and prevented the checks in growth which are known to
result from alternate periods of dryness and wetness. Further,
it seems likely that this good growth in summer promoted the
hardiness of the plants during each subsequent winter. It is a
common observation of fruit growers and other growers of woody
plants, supported by scientific evidence, that thriftless or inactive
branches are more susceptible to winter injury than are the more
vigorous portions of the tree or shrub. It is evident that all azaleas
are sensitive to drought and that the combined heat and dryness
of American summers is trying even to the native species, such
as Rhododendron calendulaceum, R. roseum, R. Vaseyi and
R. atlanticum. All of these species did better when grown under a
heavy summer mulch than when grown without it. That grafted
azaleas are even more sensitive to inadequate moisture conditions
than are seedlings and own- root sorts will be brought out later.
Altogether, the inference is clear that summer water relations play
an important role in the thrift of the azaleas, and that this thrift,
in turn, contributes substantially to the plants' ability to resist
winter cold. And there are additional implications, also, from
these purely horticultural observations.
After these encouraging results, further experiments were
undertaken. Plants of a dozen different varieties of Ghent and
Mollis azaleas were secured from a commercial planting where
trouble had been experienced in making the young plants develop
77
vigorously. Planted in April, as before, in peat beds mulched with
oak leaves, the young plants grew normally until mid- June when
dry weather commenced. Although the soil was adequately moist,
the atmosphere was very dry and the young plants began to suffer
coincidentally with this. Growth was checked, and the younger
leaves failed to develop a normal green color, being pale, chlorotic
and often somewhat mottled as if infected with a virus disease of
the " mosaic" type. Other symptoms were small size of the new
leaves, partial distortion of the leaves and reduced length of new
stems. Such symptoms have been commonly attributed to rhodo­dendron
mosaic or azalea yellow- leaf, under which names several
incompletely known troubles appear to have been listed.
While these virus- like symptoms appeared in the upper parts of
the scion, they did not occur in the stems and foliage of the root-stock
which had been permitted to grow out from the bases of cer­tain
plants. The foliage on these rootstock branches remained
green and healthy throughout the time chlorosis was appearing on
the leaves of the scions. The rootstock was of uncertain origin,
but was presumed to have been derived from mixed seedlings of
the Pontic azalea, R. luteum. There was no transfer of the
symptoms from the scion to the rootstock.
In August, after copious rains had restored the atmospheric and
soil moisture, the azaleas immediately became active, vegetative
growth started, and normal green leaves developed. No further
sign of chlorosis appeared throughout the remainder of the season.
Although no pathological studies have yet been made of this
material to determine whether a virus disease is actually present,
these preliminary observations strongly indicate that the cause of
the chlorosis and reduced vigor of the grafted azalea plants is
merely an unfavorable graft union and not a pathogenic infection.
As noted above, these azaleas appear very sensitive to conditions
of restricted water supply. If stock and scion do not form a
thoroughly functional union, it is a reasonable conjecture that
the movement of water from roots to top may be inadequate to
provide a sufficient supply to the scion at times when the air is
dry and large quantities of moisture are being lost from the leaves.
Thus injury might occur in times of atmospheric dryness which
would not occur during the more humid seasons, since, in the
latter, an imperfectly functioning graft union would still be good
enough to transfer sufficient water from stock to scion.
78
Since the Ghent and Mollis hybrids do not root easily from
cuttings, grafting is the common commercial practice for propaga­tion.
Yet, to avoid troubles such as those here cited, own- root
plants would be preferred to grafted plants. The use of auxins,
or growth- promoting chemicals, as developed at the Boyce
Thompson Institute, offers a promising future for the production
of own- root hybrid azaleas.
Certain other practical considerations should be noted. Although
these azaleas need adequate summer moisture, they quickly resent
a soil that is saturated with water and always require good drain­age.
In these experiments, azaleas planted on well drained land
underlain by gravel grew twice as well as those planted in poorly
drained soil underlain by stiff clay, although the surface soil in the
peat beds was practically the same in both cases. Plantings of all
azaleas and most rhododendrons on the poorly drained soil are
doing badly. For best results the soil should be porous and well
aerated, but fibrous and retentive of moisture in the sense of
being spongy.
Atmospheric dryness is probably very bad for the Ghent and
Mollis azaleas, as it is indeed for the other members of the genus,
even when abundant soil moisture is present. There are certain
sites, such as dry southern exposures or open plains that are swept
with hot winds in summer, where Ghent azaleas and their allies
could not be expected to thrive no matter how carefully they were
irrigated or mulched.
It should also be noted that all Ghent and Mollis azaleas are
certainly not of equal hardiness. Several different species, some
of them tender like Rhododendron occidentale, R. luteum and R.
speciosum, are present in the hybrid mixture and their character­istics
occasionally segregate out in the progeny. On the other
hand, several varieties are supposed to be of superior hardiness.
Pending further trials, it would not be safe to make definite recom­mendations
at this time.
If ultimately a fair- sized list of Ghent and Mollis azaleas, which
with their wide range of color are among the showiest of all
flowering shrubs, should prove hardy in the region of the north­eastern
states after they have been tested under good summer con­ditions,
and if new propagating methods make the production of
own- root plants easy and desirable, then we may look forward to
a renewed interest in these truly gorgeous shrubs and a new
supply of fine things for our gardens.
CLEMENT G. BOWERS.
79
STEPHEN G. CUTTING CHOSEN FOR YEAR AT KEW
Stephen G. Cutting has been selected as this year's candidate to
study at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, England, while
Frank G. Mackaness will come as a student gardener from Kew
to The New York Botanical Garden.
Mr. Cutting, who has served at the Garden for more than two
years and who last spring received his certificate for completing
studies in the Course for Professional Gardeners, took part in the
Garden's Rocky Mountain expedition last summer. He recently
received a prize of a copy of Britton & Brown's Illustrated Flora
for having made the year's finest herbarium collection of native
plants. His selection for the year abroad was made by a com­mittee
from the National Association of Gardeners, who inter­viewed
five students from the Botanical Garden. He will leave
New York at the end of June, when Howard Swift, the first ex­change
student gardener to be sent from The New York Botanical
Garden, will return from England to resume his work here. The
National Association of Gardeners is providing the traveling ex­penses
of this year's student from America.
C. J. Collins, the 1936 exchange student from Kew, will leave
The New York Botanical Garden this month and return to Eng­land
after a trip to the Pacific coast.
LORD ABERCONWAY VISITS THE GARDEN
While in America to attend the spring flower shows in Boston,
Philadelphia, and New York, Lord Aberconway, President of the
Royal Horticultural Society, and one of Great Britain's outstand­ing
authorities on gardening, spent the afternoon of Sunday,
March 21, at The New York Botanical Garden. Accompanied by
Dr. H. A. Gleason, Mr. H. de la Montagne, Mr. T. H. Everett,
and Dr. E. D. Merrill, the latter representing the Board of
Managers, Lord Aberconway inspected many features of the
grounds, but indicated especial interest in the Thompson Memorial
Rock Garden. Himself the owner of one of the finest gardens in
Great Britain, where he has large collections of gentians, primulas,
and rhododendrons, he declared at the conclusion of his visit that
he was impressed with the generally high standard of cultivation
both in the greenhouses and on the grounds at The New York
Botanical Garden.
80
REPORT OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR 1936
The year just closed at The New York Botanical Garden has
been saddened by the death of its director on December 24, after
thirty- five years of honorable and productive service. For more
than thirty years he was my professor, my colleague, my director,
and always my friend. I need say no more.
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE
The general work of maintenance and repair has proceeded as
usual, subject to the customary limitations caused by insufficient
labor.
The chief feature has been the completion of certain construc­tion
projects under the direction of the Department of Parks with
the assistance of labor from the Works Progress Administration.
The new steam tunnel from the Power House to the Museum is
in operation and will probably effect a saving in coal. The new
garage is in use and is a great convenience. Much of our path
system has been resurfaced. Weather- stripping has been placed
on all windows in the Museum. Additional stone wall, 285 feet
in length, was built near the Rock Garden and the retaining wall
along the Bronx River was extended 500 feet. Stone piers were
made for the Perennial Border and the work of lowering the path
is under way. Numerous new benches for the grounds have
been installed.
Two units of Conservatory Range 2 and one unit of the Propa­gating
House were thoroughly repaired and renovated. New steam
pipes were installed in two units of Conservatory Range 1. The
waterlily tanks have been freshly waterproofed. The roof of the
Propagating House has been repaired.
Essential preliminaries have postponed the repairs to Con­servatory
Range 1, for which the City made an appropriation in
1935. At present specifications are in the hands of contractors,
bids will be opened this month, and we have hopes that the work
will be completed before the beginning of next winter. The
appropriation was planned to cover about half of the whole range
of glass. Application has been made to the City for an equal sum
of money on the Capital Outlay Budget of 1937 to complete
the work.
In the Hemlock Forest, 800 more young hemlocks have been
planted, bringing the total to nearly 3,000. More than half a
mile of paths have been resurfaced. Special attention has been
81
given to the trees of the rest of the grounds. A program of tree-feeding
and mulching has been adopted and much necessary trim­ming
and pruning has been done. Construction has been com­pleted
at the north end of the Rock Garden. The Rock Garden
fence has been extended to enclose about three more acres to
the south.
HORTICULTURAL OPERATIONS
The reorganization of the gardening force, which has been in
progress during the past four years, is virtually completed and we
now have an efficient personnel. Further improvements in
efficiency will be minor in character, and as a consequence addi­tional
gardening activities can be undertaken only by an increased
force of gardeners, the elimination of features now maintained,
or a reduction in the standard of cultivation.
Mr. Henry Teuscher, dendrologist, resigned in May. His work
was absorbed by the Horticulturist, and Joseph Tansey, a graduate
of Cornell and a former student gardener, was appointed foreman
gardener in charge of nurseries and propagation.
During 1936 our living plant collections were considerably in­creased
by gift, exchange and purchase. Notable gifts include
3,000 roses in 110 varieties from Bobbink & Atkins, a large
assortment of Mexican plants from Mr. T. MacDougall, many
items of interest from Mr. Stanley G. Ranger, a collection of
shrubs from the Boyce Thompson Institute, and a collection of
rock garden and greenhouse material from the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew. Thanks are due to many commercial dealers who
have generously donated bulbs and other forcing stock for use in
our greenhouse displays.
The flower displays throughout the year have been of high
quality, particularly the annuals, roses, waterlilies, hardy asters,
and dahlias, the rock garden, and the greenhouse exhibits. Early
frosts cut short a promising outdoor chrysanthemum show. The
display houses in Conservatory Range 1 continued to prove a
great attraction to the public and during the season some 7,000
pots of plants, representing 571 species and varieties, were ex­hibited.
A plant of Victoria Cruztana in the aquatic house has
also proved of great interest to visitors.
The collection of ferns, begonias, and bulbous material in Con­servatory
Range 2 is in excellent condition, while the standard of
cultivation of other plants is commendably high. The orchids
82
have improved greatly and would undoubtedly be still better if
appropriate benches were provided.
The number of plants grown in the display gardens of annuals,
chrysanthemums, cannas, and other so- called bedding plants has
been about 36,000. An innovation here was a greatly extended
planting of hardy asters, numbering 3,000 plants in forty varieties.
The new iris garden west of Conservatory Range I has been
planted with more than 6,000 plants in 181 varieties. The tubs
in the tropical waterlily tank have been replaced by new ones of
larger size.
In the Rose Garden much work has been accomplished. Beds
have been deeply dug and manured and 27 new varieties of
climbing roses have been planted. The long border of Polyantha
roses has been trenched, fertilized, and partly replanted.
In the Perennial Border supported by the Advisory Council, a
quarter of the plants were lifted and replanted according to plan
after the ground was thoroughly trenched and fertilized.
Planting of the Rock Garden has been continued and is now
nearing completion, except the bog area at the south end and the
heather area at the north. Many thousands of plants have been
raised for this purpose and some 7,000 heathers are now available
for further planting.
During the fall more than 1,000 trees and shrubs in 261
varieties were transplanted from the nurseries into the permanent
collections.
During the year two distributions of surplus plant material to
members of the Garden were arranged, during which mare than
8,000 plants of iris and several thousand of fuchsia and verbena
were disposed of. Schools in New York City have also received
surplus material. In our seed exchange, 3,422 packets were dis­tributed
to botanical gardens and 2,471 packets were received
from them. Our present seed- list offers 618 items for exchange
during the present winter.
An expedition consisting of T. H. Everett, Horticulturist, and
E. J. Alexander, Assistant Curator, and two student gardeners was
sent to the Rocky Mountains to collect seeds of plants likely to
be of value in rock gardens. The expenses of the trip were met
by contributions from 44 subscribers in the United States, Canada,
and six European countries. In the field three months, the party
collected seeds of 138 species of plants for rock gardens, many
83
of them hitherto unknown in cultivation and all of them promising
material. These are being shared among the subscribers and
also grown in our own Rock Garden.
At the last International Flower Show, the Garden was awarded
a special gold medal for an exhibit of a group of plants originat­ing
in the Mediterranean Region.
CONTROL OF PESTS AND DISEASES
Our pathologist, Dr. B. O. Dodge, has actively continued the
use of standard control measures against fungous diseases and
insect pests and as a result our growing plants, both outdoors and
under glass, have been in uniformly good condition.
The annual execution of a well- planned program of spraying
during the past few years has led to the almost complete extermi­nation
of cherry scale, tussock moth, tent caterpillar, bagworm,
and catalpa mealy bug. On the other hand, aphids and lace bugs
have been unusually troublesome. Our Rose Garden, which has
been remarkably free from disease, has been kept so by no less
than 47 treatments.
Our own survey, which agrees with that made by the Dutch Elm
Disease Laboratory, has disclosed no new case of the disease on
our grounds and we believe that we are in no immediate danger
of losing our elms.
We have continued to cooperate with the State Conservation
Commission in the control of the gypsy moth. Spraying, tree-banding,
and destruction of egg masses have been so thoroughly
done by state workers that we shall probably not be troubled by
this dangerous pest for some time to come.
The Japanese beetle increased somewhat in numbers during
1936, but with a corresponding increase in our control measures
we have avoided serious damage. Experiments are under way on
the use of derris dust as a repellent. About two and a half acres
of lawn have been treated with lead arsenate. By trapping and
hand- picking no less than 444,000 adult beetles have been collected
and destroyed.
Soil sterilization has proved very effective for the control of
nematodes and various injurious soil fungi. Its use will be con­tinued
and extended.
HERBARIUM
The herbarium continues the rapid growth which during the
short span of forty years has made it one of the leading herbaria
84
of the world. During the year 41,277 specimens have been
mounted, labeled, and incorporated, bringing the total to
1,868,372.
The sources of these plants and their respective numbers, in
round figures, are 5,000 by gift or collection, 9,000 by purchase,
18,000 by exchange, 4,000 previously on hand, and the balance
miscellaneous.
As reported a year ago, the cases for the housing of this vast
collection are full. To care for current accumulations, 2,000 more
boxes of corrugated paper were purchased, making more than
5,000 now in use. About 400,000 specimens, estimated conserva­tively,
are now stored in this temporary fashion. The specimens
are difficult to consult, the boxes are of short duration and consti­tute
a distinct fire hazard. The replacement of these boxes and
the old- fashioned wooden cases by new steel equipment is an
urgent necessity. The continued growth of the herbarium has also
exhausted all available floor space under our present arrangements.
During the year the herbarium has sent out 22,000 specimens in
exchange, giving us a handsome credit balance from which we
may expect a constant influx of valuable material from all parts
of the world.
The herbarium staff has actively continued research in syste­matic
botany, based on these valuable collections. Dr. Howe, in
the little time left free by administrative duties and illness, was
occupied by his work on seaweeds. Dr. H. A. Gleason has prose­cuted
his study of tropical American plants. Dr. John K. Small
is rounding out his many years of research by the preparation of
seven books on the plants of the United States. Dr. F. J. Seaver,
Mr. Percy Wilson, and Mr. R. S. Williams have continued their
work with fungi, West Indian plants, and mosses, respectively.
Dr. A. C. Smith has completed a comprehensive study of the
sarsaparilla family, for publication in North American Flora and
is engaged on a similar monograph of the American nutmegs.
Dr. H. N. Moldenke returned in November from a year's leave
of absence in Europe as a fellow of the National Research Coun­cil
and is now preparing a monograph of the North American
pipeworts. Dr. W. H. Camp has continued his study of the
American blueberries. He spent two months in the Alleghany
Mountains and is now in southern Mexico for study of these
plants in the field. Mr. Alexander has been primarily responsible
85
for the correct identification of the growing plants in our green­houses
and on our grounds. As custodian of the herbarium, with
the assistance of a staff of W. P. A. employees, Mr. G. L. Wittrock
has kept the collection continuously in excellent condition.
The use of the herbarium is by no means limited to our own
staff. During the year, based upon our collection, plants have
been identified for outside parties to the extent of several thou­sand,
a score or more professional botanists have worked in the
herbarium for various periods of time, and no less than 16,480
specimens have been sent out on loan to most of the principal
herbaria of the world, there to serve as a basis for research for
numerous eminent botanists. The good and still growing reputa­tion
of the herbarium staff is still further evidenced by the num­ber
of specimens sent in from other institutions with requests for
an expression of our opinion. These include such well- known
botanical centers as Kew, Stockholm, Harvard, the National
Herbarium, the Field Museum, and many others.
LABORATORIES
Research in our laboratories, by Dr. A. B. Stout and Dr. B. O.
Dodge, and under their direction, has been facilitated by the pur­chase
of some new optical equipment.
Dr. Stout, assisted by Miss Clyde Chandler of our regular staff
and by a varying number of W. P. A. employees, has continued
his manifold studies on plant breeding and on sterilities in plants.
These have involved extensive research with lily, lobelia, petunia,
lily- of- the- valley and iris, as well as his better known experiments
with seedless grapes and daylily. His studies of grapes were in­terrupted
by a late spring frost, but some of his seedless varieties
have borne fruit for the first time. A bulletin describing the
progress and results of his work was published by the New York
State Agricultural Experiment Station.
Further advances have been made in the breeding of daylilies.
The marvelous improvements which Dr. Stout has made in these
old- fashioned flowers have drawn much attention and have re­sulted
in a great popular interest in their cultivation. His studies,
however, are not solely horticultural. The development of his
new improved varieties is largely incidental to his botanical re­search
into the taxonomy, cytology, and reproductive behavior of
the plants.
The research time of Dr. Dodge is still given to a cyto- genetic
study of the pink bread- mold, in which he has made numerous
discoveries of great scientific importance. These studies are based
primarily on the sexual stage of the plant, while most genetic re­search
is based on the non- sexual generation. During the year
Dr. Dodge published five articles presenting the results of his
investigations.
PHOTOGRAPHY
The work of photography has occupied the full time of our staff
photographer and of 15 to 30 hours per week of an assistant from
the Works Progress Administration. Nearly 1,300 negatives and
more than 4,000 prints have been made, as a record of the research
work and the horticultural activities of the Garden, and of these
many have been used for publication. More than 500 lantern
slides, most of them colored, have been made to illustrate the
numerous lectures given by members of the staff.
LIBRARY
Because of reduction in available funds, the growth of the
library has been less than usual. The number of bound volumes
has been increased by only 332, bringing the total content of the
library to 45,066 volumes.
Recommendations for the purchase of books have for the first
time been entrusted to a library committee. This committee has
also considered the periodicals received and has eliminated a num­ber
which are of little use to the work now in progress. Notwith­standing
this reduction in both books and journals, the library
continues to be adequate for our purposes.
It will soon be necessary to choose whether our library is to be
a general and comprehensive collection of works dealing with all
phases of botany and horticulture, or whether it shall be limited
generally to our own specific needs. Continued restriction of
funds will obviously compel us to choose the latter, while the
former will require much larger appropriations.
For many years the library has been too large for its own
quarters and book- shelves have filled half or more of the space
in three other rooms, all of which are needed for other purposes.
Consideration should be given to double- decking the present stack-room,
thereby doubling its shelf space and releasing the other
rooms. The cases for our card catalogs are also filled and need
to be extended.
87
PUBLICATIONS
Twelve issues of the Journal with 307 pages have been pub­lished
as usual, under the editorship of Miss Carol H. Woodward.
Two numbers of Addisonia have been edited by Mr. E. J.
Alexander. The high quality of the plates and letterpress has
been maintained. Numerous paintings for future use have been
made by Miss Margaret Sorensen.
In Brittonia, three numbers with 264 pages have been pub­lished
under the editorship of Dr. A. C. Smith. This highly
technical magazine is now used chiefly for exchange. Sufficient
manuscript is easily available to complete a volume each year, if
funds should be found.
The usual six numbers of Mycologia have been published, con­taining
633 pages. Under the management and editorship of Dr.
F. J. Seaver, this magazine continues to hold its high reputation.
It has a good subscription list and is one of the few botanical
magazines which are financially self- supporting.
No parts of North American Flora were issued in 1936, but
three manuscripts are now being edited for publication in 1937.
Effort has been made to encourage the research necessary to the
preparation of this work and it seems probable that future publi­cation
will go on much more rapidly than in the past.
Sales of other books published by the Garden, and written by
Rydberg, Gleason, and Britton continue at a normal rate.
The copyright of Britton & Brown, Illustrated Flora of the
Northern States and Canada, is now in the possession of the
Garden and Mrs. Addison Brown, jointly. With the cooperation
of Mrs. Brown, a reprint of the second edition appeared early in
1936 and has enjoyed a very encouraging sale.
EDUCATION AND LECTURES
The course for professional gardeners has been continued and
has now completed the first half of its fifth year. In order to
lighten the burden of instruction, which is given in the evening
and in addition to regular work, only the second year is now being
presented, while in the season of 1937- 38 only the first year will
be offered. Twenty- one students were graduated and received
certificates last April and 34 are now enrolled.
Practical training in gardening for a limited number of young
men with previous experience has been very successful. From a
considerable number of applicants we have always been able to
A typical exhibit in one of the special display houses in Conservatory Rang
select excellent men. They have proved themselves useful to us
and are themselves very well satisfied with the training they re­ceive
and with the opportunities for outside study which are avail­able
in our library, herbarium, and plantations.
One of our student gardeners was sent last April to England
for a year of practical experience in the Royal Botanic Gardens
at Kew and a Kew student is working with us in exchange. The
transportation expenses of both were met by the English Speaking
Union, to which we are deeply grateful. Arrangements are under
way for a second exchange during 1937- 38.
Extension courses of instruction in gardening, a course on native
ferns, and a course on trees and shrubs have been offered by Dr.
McLean.
89
chrysanthemums as they were seen by thousands of visitors last November.
During the year 35 public lectures, illustrated by lantern slides,
have been given on Saturday afternoons in the Museum Building.
Four- fifths of these were given by members of the Garden staff.
Classes from the public schools have visited the Garden in the
usual number. Many other students, especially from Fordham
University and Hunter College, have visited the Garden indepen­dently
to secure information required in their class work.
During the year 82 lectures have been given by members of
our staff to garden clubs and similar organizations. The Garden
has also cooperated in the programs of the Radio Garden Club
over Station WOR, taking charge of one program each month.
Hundreds of requests for information have been received from
individuals, schools, periodicals, industrial firms, and governmental
90
agencies, coming from every continent and covering a wide range
of subjects. All of these have received attention to the best of
our ability.
As usual, our library has been freely consulted by visitors, most
of whom seek information on some one definite subject.
MEMBERSHIP
The number of annual members has remained essentially un­changed.
The administration hopes that an increase will soon be
noted. To that end, numerous plans have been considered but so
far only one has been adopted. Beginning with the next issue, our
illustrated magazine Addisonia will be sent to every member. The
distribution of growing plants to members will also be continued,
since it has aroused much favorable comment in the past.
PENSIONS
Year by year more of the Garden employees reach an age or a
state of health which makes it inadvisable to continue them longer
in active service. Each of these cases has been considered in turn,
and to some of them the Board of Managers has granted a retiring
allowance. An examination of our books shows that six men are
now on pension and that two more will be after May first. The
annual cost to the Garden for these is a trifle more than $ 6,000.
The widespread development of pension systems, both public
and private, the general expectation of a retiring allowance now
held by employees in all industries, and the precedent already
established by the Garden in eight cases, compel us at least to
consider some system of pensions for all members of the Garden
staff. In the meantime, until some definite policy is adopted, we
must boldly face the fact that a dozen or more employees, several
at high salaries, will soon reach a retiring age or condition.
PERSONAL HONORS
Your director. Dr. M. A. Howe, served through the year as
president of the Torrey Botanical Club and received the gold medal
of the American Dahlia Society. Shortly before his death he was
elected president of the Botanical Society of America.
The deputy director was vice- president of the Botanical Society
of America, vice- president of the Torrey Botanical Club, and a
member of the National Research Council. For 1937 he has been
elected president of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists.
Dr. F. T. McLean has been president of the New York Bird and
Tree Club and president of the Metropolitan Gladiolus Society.
91
Dr. B. O. Dodge has served on the council of the Mycological
Society of America and as associate editor for the Botanical
Society of America.
Dr. F. J. Seaver has been editor for the Mycological Society of
America and a member of the council of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science.
Mr. T. H. Everett has been a director of the American Rock
Garden Society and vice- president of the American Amaryllis
Society.
Dr. A. B. Stout has been chairman of the committee on daylilies
for the American Amaryllis Society.
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
AS in previous years, the Garden has enjoyed the services of
many workers from the Works Progress Administration. Some
of these have served us for several years consecutively and have
become skilled in various phases of the routine work of the
Garden. They have assisted in many forms of research, some­times
in a highly technical capacity; they have mounted herbarium
specimens and incorporated them into our collections; they have
done much typing of manuscript and have copied thousands of
original descriptions of plants, often in a foreign language. They
have served as book- binders, typists, stenographers, elevator
operators, watchmen and guards, clean- up men, photographers,
artists, statisticians, gardeners and laborers. In fact, excepting
only our business office, there is no department of the Garden in
which they have not served and been of distinct and valuable
use to us.
We do not know, of course, how long or to what extent we shall
continue to profit by the collaboration of the Works Progress
Administration, but we are assured that there is no immediate
prospect that the service will cease.
In addition to labor, we have also received large quantities of
supplies, particularly stationery, artists' materials and herbarium
supplies.
We are deeply grateful to the Works Progress Administration
for the assistance, both material and personal, which has been
given us, and which has enabled us to undertake successfully
numerous lines of work which would otherwise have been
impossible.
H. A. GLEASON.
92
REPORT OF THE TREASURER FOR 1936
JOHN L. MERRILL, Treasurer
EXHIBIT I
BALANCE SHEET
December 31, 1936
ASSETS
Permanent Fund Assets:
Investments at cost or appraisal at
time of acquisition ( Exhibit III) $ 2,550,402.11
Cash awaiting investment 45,703.08
$ 2,596,105.19
Current and Working Assets:
Cash in banks and on hand:
For general purposes $ 12,108.45
For special purposes 4,741.28
$ 16,849.73
Accounts receivable — city main­tenance
15,901.82
Interest and dividends receivable
( Exhibit III) 24,435.62
Prepaid insurance premiums, etc... 2,432.66
— 59,619.83
$ 2,655,725.02
To THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN :
We have made an examination of the balance sheet of The New York
Botanical Garden as at December 31, 1936, and of the statement of opera­tions
for the year 1936. In connection therewith, we examined or tested
accounting records of the Garden and other supporting evidence and obtained
information and explanations from officers and employees of the corporation;
we also made a general review of the accounting methods and of the income
93
EXHIBIT I
BALANCE SHEET
December 31, 1936
Permanent Funds ( Exhibit IV) :
Restricted endowments $ 251,242.30
Unrestricted endowments, including
bequests set aside by the Board
of Managers as permanent funds 2,323,704.07
Special endowment with life interest
in respect of income therefrom.. 21,158.82
Current Liabilities and Special Funds:
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable $ 8,197.47
Special funds ( Exhibit V) :
Unexpended income from re­stricted
funds $ 2,775.34
Unexpended contributions set
aside by the Board of Man­agers
for specific purposes 1,965.""
$ 2,596,105.19
4,741.28
Deferred income credits:
Membership dues paid in ad­vance
$ 130.00
Subscriptions and fees paid in
advance 1,415.85
Working fund:
Balance at December 31, 1935... $ 45.135.23
Add— Excess of unrestricted in­come
over expenditures for
the year ending December 31,
1936 ( Exhibit II) 29,320.27
Deduct— Transferred to Special
Endowment Fund in accord­ance
with resolution of the
Board of Managers 29,320.27 45,135.23
59,619.83
$ 2,655,725.02
and expense accounts for the year, but we did not make a detailed audit
of the transactions.
In our opinion, based upon such examination, the attached balance sheet
( Exhibit I) and related statements ( Exhibits II to V, inclusive) fairly
present the position of The New York Botanical Garden at December 31,
1936, and the result of its transactions for the year.
PRICE, WATERHOUSE & Co.
56 Pine Street, New York, April 5, 1937.
EXHIBIT II
Statement of Operations for the Year Ending December 31, 1936
Restricted
Total
and special
funds
Unre­stricted
Income:
Income from investments of
permanent funds
Contributions:
City maintenance
Other
Membership dues:
Annual
Sustaining and fellowship.
Sales of duplicate books and
sundries
Subscriptions and sales of
publications
Total income
Expenses:
Horticulture:
Salaries $ 55,162.70
Plants, seeds, supplies, etc. 5,429.65
Science and curating:
Salaries $ 49,896.92
Specimens, supplies, etc... 6,549.71
Library:
Salaries $ 7,784.61
New books, periodicals, etc. 2,371.42
Education:
Salaries $ 8,804.40
Instruction, lectures, etc.. 2,930.74
Publications:
Printing, mailing, etc
Administration:
Salaries $ 29,262.89
Stationery, telephone, post­age,
etc 10,331.55
Care and up- keep— Grounds:
Salaries $ 34,699.59
Wages 25,915.59
Supplies, etc 4,852.91
Care and up- keep— Buildings:
Salaries $ 49,094.93
Fuel, light, power, etc.... 29,379.43
Improvements and equipment
purchases
Totals:
Salaries $ 234,706.04
Wages 25,915.59
Other expenses 76,230.30
$ 129,296.69 $ 10,840.00 $ 118,456.69
211,365.06
3,209.20
8,960.00
2,090.00
2,520.28
9,507.16
2,734.20
466.45
6,580.53
211,365.06
475.00
8,960.00
2,090.00
2,053.83
2,926.63
$ 366,948.39 $ 20,621.18 $ 346,327.21
; 60,592.35 $ 1,912.43 $ 58,679.92
56,446.63 5,329.23 51,117.40
10,156.03
11,735.14
12,223.44
39,594.44
65,468.09
78,474.36
2,161.45
3.09 7,767.94
1,216.39
8,973.85
10,518.75
3,249.59
25.00 65,443.09
78,474.36
2,161.45
Excess of income for the year.
$ 336,851.93 $ 19,844.99 $ 317,006.94
$ 30.096.46 $ 776.19 $ 29,320.27
EXHIBIT III
Summary of Investments, December 31, 1936
General funds:
Stocks:
Preferred ..
Common . ..
Sage fund:
Bonds . . . . . ..
Stocks:
Preferred ..
Common .. .
Special endow­ment
fund:
Bonds
Stocks:
Preferred ..
Common . ..
John D. Rocke­feller,
Jr.,
fund:
Bonds
Preferred
stocks
Special trust
fund:
Common stock
Par value
( no par
value stocks
at book
value)
$ 513,800.00
144,505.00
28,923.80
$ 687,228.80
$ 486,000.00
208,730.34
101,195.00
$ 795,925.34
$ 141,000.00
281,437.50
19,000.00
$ 441,437.50
$ 245,000.00
214,137.50
$ 459,137.50
$ 16,371.45
$ 2,400,100.59
Approximate
quoted value
$ 560,080.43
181,746.88
15,082.00
$ 756,909.31
$ 528,536.25
260,690.63
204,127.50
$ 993,354.38
$ 153,996.25
402,418.75
36,371.25
$ 592,786.25
$ 279,214.50
306,618.75
$ 585,833.25
$ 8,496.00
$ 2,937,379.19
Book value,
representing
cost or
appraisal at
time of
acquisition
$ 523,096.87
159,962.50
28,923.80
$ 711,983.17
$ 448,798.75
219,677.85
133,113.04
$ 801,589.64
$ 141,317.25
337,656.88
46,245.16
$ 525.219.29
$ 247,913.55
247,325.01
$ 495,238.56
$ 16,371.45
$ 2,550,402.11
Accrued
interest
and
dividends
December
31, 1936
$ 4,529.37
1,225.00
$ 5,754.37
$ 5,903.32
1,637.50
1,750.00
$ 9,290.82
$ 2,274.15
2,537.50
300.00
$ 5,111.65
$ 2,285.03
1,993.75
$ 4,278.78
$ 24,435.62
Average yield
per year on
basis of
Quot­ed
value
o
4.06
4.70
2.65
4.18
3.61
4.42
4.21
3.95
3.85
4.42
3.30
4.21
3.65
4.37
4.03
4.07
Book
value
%
4.34
5.34
1.38
4.45
4.26
5.25
6.46
4.89
4.20
5.27
2.59
4.75
4.11
5.42
4.76
4.68
INVESTMENTS
Summary of Average Yields for Year
On basis of
Quoted value Book value
%
Bonds 3.81 4.26
Stocks:
Preferred 4.45
Common 3.86
4.07
5.32
4.54
96
EXHIBIT IV
Statement of Permanent Funds Showing Changes During the Year Ending
December 31, 1936
Restricted endowments:
Endowment for science and education
Addison Brown Fund
Olivia E. and Caroline Phelps Stokes Fund
Charles Budd Robinson Fund
Alexander P. Anderson and Lydia Ander­son
Research and Fellowship Fund
Students' Research Fund
Endowment for the publication of
" Mycologia"
Nathaniel Lord Britton and Elizabeth Ger­trude
Britton Fund
Unrestricted endowments:
David Lydig Fund
William R. Sands Fund
Fanny Bridgham Fund
Russell Sage and Margaret Olivia Sage
The John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Fund
The Charles Patrick Daly and Maria Lydig
The James A. Scrymser and Mary C.
Scrymser Fund
The George N. Best Fund
Special endowment:
Balance
January
1, 1936
$ 89,115.49
21,149.31
35,347.63
25,000.00
5,030.63
755.04
5,000.00
10,000.00
10,162.00
2,000.00
24,440.00
$ 228,000.10
$ 241,692.18
34,337.86
10.000.00
48,099.17
10.000.00
30,000.00
25.000.00
787,967.95
2,304.67
527,445.99
505.964.00
19,636.34
12,750.00
3,000.00
$ 2,258,198.16
$ 21,158.82
$ 2,507,357.08
Additions
and
Deductions*
$ 175.00
2,500.00
20,567.20
$ 23,242.20
$ 26,529.66
14,839.88
25,198.87
— 1,062.50
$ 65,505.91
$ 88,748.11
Balance
December
31, 1936
$ 89,115.49
21,149.31
35,347.63
25,000.00
5,030.63
755.04
5,000.00
10,000.00
10,337.00
4,500.00
45,007.20
$ 251,242.30
$ 268,221.84
34,337.86
10,000.00
48,099.17
10,000.00
30,000.00
25,000.00
802,807.83
2,304.67
552,644.86
504,901.50
19,636.34
12,750.00
3,000.00
$ 2,323,704.07
$ 21,158.82
$ 2,596,105.19
* Indicated by minus sign (—).
97
EXHIBIT V
SPECIAL FUNDS
Statement of Application of Income from Restricted Permanent Funds and Special
Funds Designated for Specific Purposes
Restricted permanent funds:
Endowment for science and education:
Public lectures and instruction,
research and publications other
Addison Brown Fund:
John Innes Kane Fund:
Plant purchases and expenses
Maria De Witt Jesup Fund:
Botanical collections and binding
Olivia E. and Caroline Phelps Stokes
Fund:
Investigation and preservation of
Charles Budd Robinson Fund:
Exploration
The H. H. Memorial Fund:
Development of model gardens...
Alexander P. Anderson and Lydia
Anderson Research and Fellowship
Fund:
Students' Research Fund:
Scholarships and prizes
Mycologia Fund:
Publication of " Mycologia"
Transfer to " Mycologia" Endow-
Nathaniel Lord Britton and Elizabeth
Gertrude Britton Fund:
Research, exploration, publication,
purchase of plants, books, speci-
Special funds contributed for specific
purposes:
Southern Appalachian and Rocky
Special study of grapes
Research aid
Others
Balance
January
1, 1936
$ 1,262.87
114.16
1,621.43
262.72
45.96
3.39
616.90
94.81
494.07
120.99
$ 4,637.30
$ 1,463.57
185.08
56.79
122.35
$ 1.827.79
$ 6,465.09
Additions
$ 3,875.30
1,759.45
1,537.10
1,087.25
218.95
32.50
217.90
434.70
449.90
5,849.78
1,957.70
$ 17,420.53
$ 466.45
2,174.20
100.00
400.00
60.00
$ 3,200.65
$ 20,621.18
Expendi­tures
and
transfers
$ 5,138.17
1,873.61
1,691.14
1,219.05
264.91
32.50
221.29
300.00
500.00
3,463.13)
)
2,500.00)
2,078.69
$ 19,282.49
$ 492.67
2,193.16
337.92
38.75
$ 3,062.50
$ 22,344.99
Balance
December
31, 1936
$ 1,467.39
751.60
44.71
380.72
$ 2,775.34
$ 1,437.35
166.12
156.79
62.08
143.60
$ 1,965.94
$ 4,741.28
AT THE XEW YORK FLOWER SHOW
Among the outstanding exhibits staged by members of The
New York Botanical Garden at the International Flower Show in
New York, March 15- 20, was the large rose garden shown on the
main floor by Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Field. Pleasing in its sim­plicity
of design, with hybrid tea roses backed mainly by rhododen­drons,
it was noteworthy also for the excellence of the plants, a
quality which frequenters of the Flower Show have learned to
expect from the Field exhibits.
Daffodils were shown exceptionally well by Mr. J. P. Morgan,
who staged a formal garden; he also displayed cut blooms for
which a gold medal was awarded. Mr. Henry W. de Forest won
first prize for a display of a dozen pots of blue freesias.
The clematis shown by Col. J. E. Spingarn was awarded the
gold medal of the Garden Club of America and also a gold medal
and a special prize from the Flower Show Committee. The cita­tion
announcing the medal from the Garden Club of America
spoke of the educational value of the exhibit, its likelihood of
stimulating other growers, and of its high standard of excellence.
Col. Spingarn showed 150 plants, representing ten species native
to the United States, seven native to Asia and Europe, thirty- two
named varieties of large- flowered hybrids, and also unnamed
seedlings of this group. Information about the species and the
derivation of the principal hybrids was given on clearly printed
placards, an additional one of which gave simple cultural direc­tions.
One small placard made clear the pronunciation of the
name, giving it as c/ m'- a- tis, with the admonition, " Don't say
clem- aif'- is or clenwry'- tis."
Col. Robert H. Montgomery of Cos Cob, Conn., and Coconut
Grove, Fla., was awarded first prize for a garden consisting
largely of Japanese primulas. He also won for this display the
trophy of the International Exposition Company, presented for
the finest of four exhibits in the class which called for a garden of
seasonal material covering approximately 375 square feet of space.
This was Col. Montgomery's initial garden exhibit at the Flower
Show, and his display was looked upon as an outstanding achieve­ment.
Not only were his Japanese primulas of exceptional quality,
but this was the first time that these plants have appeared in any
quantity at a New York show.
99
EASTER DISPLAY AT THE GARDEN
A record crowd of 20,000 visited the special display in Con­servatory
Range No. 1 between Good Friday ( March 26) and
Easter Sunday, and throughout the following week several addi­tional
thousand people came daily to view the flowers.
To make room for the Easter plants, the large collection of
begonias was moved into another section of the conservatory.
More than 5,000 pots of plants at the height of their bloom
comprised this early spring exhibit.
The original show included more than 300 Easter lilies, several
thousand tulips, many narcissi and hyacinths, more than 200 pots
of flowering bulbs from South Africa, a similar number of showy
South African annuals, about 250 cinerarias of many colors, and
500 primulas in variety, in addition to innumerable other species
and varieties of flowering plants, many of which are rarely seen
elsewhere in cultivation.
Among several types of Easter lilies grown for the early spring
show, by far the finest were the plants of Lilium longiflorum
variety Americus, of which fifty bulbs were donated by William
M. Hunt & Company of New York City.
HONORARY SCROLL PRESENTED TO DR. SMALL
One of the five honorary scrolls to be awarded this year by the
Columbia Graduate School Alumni Association was presented to
Dr. John K. Small of The New York Botanical Garden. The
recipients were chosen in recognition of their " outstanding con­tributions
to the human race." Announcement of the awards was
made March 2.
Dr. Small's scroll, which is signed by Alarston T. Bogert,
Chairman, and Charles J. Hoffmann, Secretary of the Association,
speaks of Dr. Small " as having made an outstanding contribution
as a botanist and by his plant collections and popular and scien­tific
studies which have made life more tolerable; as an explorer
and author concerning the flora of southeastern United States."
Other recipients of scrolls this year were William Crocker,
Director of the Boyce Thompson Institute; Victor Emanuel
Levine, Professor of Biological Chemistry at Creighton Uni­versity,
Jesse Feiring Williams of Teachers' College, and Blanche
Colton Williams of Hunter College.
100
THE JAPANESE BEETLE AND IRIS RHIZOME ROT
The bacteria causing the foul- smelling iris rhizome rot gain
entrance into the plant tissues through wounds resulting from
careless breaking of leaves and wounding of rhizomes and roots
in cultivation. It is also well known that the iris borer, Macro-noctua
onusta, is an important factor in spreading the disease.
The young larvae bore into the leaves in the spring, affording an
excellent opportunity for the entrance of the bacteria. The rot
quickly spreads down the leaves and into the rhizomes.
Another agent for the spread of the disease may be the larvae
of the Japanese beetle. During the early part of October last
year several plants in the new iris garden were found completely
rotted. As this bed was on a slope where rain water from the
infected plants could run down around the lower plants, the con­ditions
were right for a rapid extension of the disease. While
digging out the dead plants and treating others showing earlier
stages of the rot, we often found larvae of the Japanese beetle
feeding near the crowns and roots. As there were no iris borers
present it seems very likely that the beetle larvae by their feeding
were a prime factor in the original infections. The soil in this plot
had been given a rather light surface application of arsenate of
lead just before the grass seed was sown. This part of the old
lawn had been infested with Japanese beetle larvae for several
years past. Because the soil was very poor an additional two or
three inches of untreated good soil was added in July in prepara­tion
for the new iris planting. Whether the larvae found in
October came from eggs laid after the irises were planted or
whether the eggs had been laid in the old soil previously is un­certain.
In an effort to stop the spread of the rot the dead plants were
dug up and destroyed, and the soil was drenched with a solution
of semesan. Plants that were only partially rotted were freed
from the decayed parts and treated with, semesan. All of the
beds were then given a surface application of powdered arsenate
of lead, 10 pounds to 1,000 square feet. The effect of this poison
on irises is a question, but it was evident that the beetle infestation
must be checked if control of the rot was to be obtained.
B. O. DODGE.
101
NOTES, NEWS, AND COMMENT
Speaking at the monthly conference of the scientific staff and
registered students of the Garden on March 10, Ellys Butler
Moldenke reviewed her experiences in studying the Patellariaceae
in European herbaria. Robert Hagelstein told of his many ex­cursions
made last year for the collection of Myxomycetes in
eastern United States.
* * *
A. E. Porsild, Botanist with the National Museum of Canada
at Ottawa, Ontario, spent several days at The New York Botanical
Garden in March, studying plants of Yukon Territory by com­parison
with our extensive herbarium material.
* * *
Clement G. Bowers, author of " Observations of Hardiness in
Ghent Hybrid Azaleas and their Allies," which appears on page 73
this month, is a former student at The New York Botanical
Garden and the author of " Rhododendrons and Azaleas," an im­portant
work of 549 pages, published last year by Macmillan. In
a future issue of the Journal, Dr. Bowers will write of the out­door
culture of azaleas.
* * *
The following visiting botanists registered in the library during
the winter: Dr. E. D. Merrill, Jamaica Plain, Mass.; Dr. Lyman
B. Smith, Cambridge, Mass.; Mr. Stuart K. Harris, Boston,
Mass.; Mr. A. Gershoy, Burlington, Vt.; Miss Mildred T. Travis,
Dr. F. W. Pennell, and Mr. Arthur N. Leeds, Philadelphia, Pa.;
Dr. Edward H. Graham, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Mr. Robert T. Clausen,
Ithaca, N. Y.; Mr. C. J. Hylander, Hamilton, N. Y.; Mr. and
Mrs. Mahmoud Helmy, Royal Egyptian Legation, Washington,
D. C.; Dr. William C. Steere and Dr. Carl D. LaRue, Ann Arbor,
Mich.; Dr. D. T. MacDougal, Carmel, Calif.; Mr. G. R. Bisby,
Imperial Mycological Institute, Kew, England; Mr. Andre de
Vilmorin, Paris, France, and Dr. Mel T. Cook, Rio Piedras,
Puerto Rico. * * #
Dr. John Hendley Barnhart has recently received a certificate
of his election in May, 1936, to correspondent membership in the
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He has also been
made a corresponding member of the Philadelphia Botanical Club.
* * *
Dr. W. H. Camp returned March 21 after more than three
months in Mexico, where he collected extensively in the moun­tains
of western, central, and eastern Oaxaca. In addition to
several duplicate sets of herbarium specimens, in which the
Vacciniaceae and Ericaceae, collected for special study, predomi­nate,
he brought back nearly a hundred different kinds of living
plants, among them orchids, bromeliads, cacti, and other
succulents.
102
REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS
( All publications reviewed here may be consulted in the Library of
The New York Botanical Garden.)
FROM FOREST TO FURNITURE
Malcolm H. Sherwood's recent contribution to the study of
wood 1 pleasantly serves the desirable purpose of awakening the
reader from a too frequent lethargic state in which, because he is
blinded to the romance that may be interwoven even with the
commonplace, he accepts objects around him as things to be taken
for granted. In this study the object is wood, and the author
shows how ample a scope the discriminating eye of the connois­seur
and the esthetic taste of the artist have in furniture and
cabinet- making— not merely as trades but as forms of art.
Sixty different woods are described in as many chapters, and if
there be any criticism it would concern the brevity of the accounts.
Technicalities have been deliberately avoided and in their place
appear through interesting anecdotes the personal experiences of
an author whose extensive contacts with the subject lend them a
piquancy that is an asset. For the student, a supplementary table,
a bibliography, and an index give additional value to the book.
EDMUND H. FULLING.
A MASTERPIECE ON TREES
While much has been written by many authors on trees and
their relation to humanity, to Dr. Cross must go the palm for
originality of presentation in his book on trees. 2 The reader is
captivated and imbued with the author's own enthusiasm and love
for his subject.
In a literary style that possesses force as well as arresting charm
Dr. Cross vividly portrays the part that trees have played in the
welfare of nations and of peoples. Writing at a time when floods
and dust storms are forcing the people off the land and threatening
to cut down our productive areas, he expounds with no uncertain
force the story of the crimes that have been perpetrated against
our forests, leaving us today a legacy that must be paid off in
human suffering.
1 Sherwood, Malcolm H., From Forest to Furniture. 284 pages, illus­trated,
indexed. W. W. Norton & Co.. New York. 1936. $ 3.
2 Cross, Dr. P. G.. Our Friends the Trees, 322 pages, illustrated, indexed.
E. P. Dutton & Co., New York, 1936. $ 5.
103
In a country that is fast approaching that fullness of nationhood
which demands that all our natural resources should be jealously
guarded against depletion, this book carries a message and a
warning that no thinking American can afford to ignore, for it
drives home with clear- cut phrases the fact that the presence of
trees is a national asset while their absence increases the load of
human woe and constitutes a national calamity of the first
magnitude.
It is a book that can be profitably enjoyed not only by those
who own trees, or those whose lives are " blissfully cast amongst
them," but particularly by every city dweller, for it will teach
him the companionship of trees that really are the friends of man.
For the tree owner, also, the book is a mine of information on
the care, repair, and upkeep of trees. There is a long list of trees
suitable for different situations as well as helpful advice on prun­ing,
feeding, and planting. The author's advice on the manage­ment
of evergreens is sound, as is the way in which he treats the
subject of hedges and windbreaks. Applying the information
given, the tree owner cannot fail to get the most from his trees.
In whatever phase of trees he treats, Dr. Cross writes dynami­cally.
His facts and information have been marshalled with
diligence and accuracy, yet given with simplicity and directness
and the sincere conviction of a man who has a thorough grasp of
his subject.
Altogether " Our Friends the Trees" is a laudable work.
P. J. MCKENNA.
PLANT PROPAGATION, VINES, AND FRAGRANT PLANTS
A concise treatment of most phases of plant propagation for the
garden is offered in Dr. Fairburn's well written little book. 3
Planned especially for beginners in gardening, this volume ex­plains
in detail the various methods of propagation such as seeds,
cuttings, layering, division, as well as budding and grafting. It
treats of the fundamental principles of the care of propagation
materials, which is so essential for any degree of success. The
illustrations will help to clarify the descriptions in the mind of
the gardener. Many will be disappointed to find no mention of
the various growth substances that are sweeping the country with
their popularity. However, as a whole, this book can be recom­mended
to the garden enthusiast for its practical contents.
I find Miss Jenkins' book on vines 4 rather a brief treatment for
3 Fairburn, Dr. David C. Plant Propagation for the Garden. 115 pages,
illustrated, indexed. Doubleday, Doran & Company, New York. 1937. $ 1.
4 Jenkins, Dorothy H. Vines For Every Garden. 95 pages, illustrated,
indexed. Doubleday, Doran & Company. New York. 1937. $ 1.
104
such a broad subject. However, the selection of annual vines is
quite complete and should prove interesting to the novice. Many
helpful suggestions are given for the planting and use of each
vine mentioned. In her discussion of perennial vines, however, the
author has omitted much of the important information which the
novice should know beforehand . . . such information as the
difference in sexes of plants like Celastrus scandens, and the detri­mental
effect of the Japanese beetle on many of this group. The
fancier will find no mention of many of the rarer vines or the
shrubs that may be treated as vines with a bit of training.. The
conclusion has a brief descriptive index which classifies each
subject mentioned.
Anne Dorrance's book 5 should prove interesting to those who
like the fragrant gardens which of late have become quite popular.
The author has divided the fragrance of flowers into three seasons:
early, midsummer, and late. One third of her book has been
devoted to a list of fragrant plants with brief descriptions as to
their color, scent, and time of bloom. However, an amateur would
have to use this list with discretion, as many of the plants men­tioned
are not hardy in the north. The last few pages are devoted
to the making of perfumes by the novice from garden flowers.
JOSEPH TANSEY.
GARDENING TASKS MONTH BY MONTH
A little book that should prove useful to the amateur is Cecile
Hulse Matschat's Garden Calendar. 6 It deals extensively with
garden operations to be done month by month throughout the year.
Its main fault is that it tells what to do rather than how, so
that one must have some knowledge of gardening and considerable
equipment before being able to put its suggestions into practice.
Granted these means, beginners who do not know just how and
when to commence their work may be guided in the systematic
arrangement of their gardening tasks. Even through the winter
months, when most people think that gardening is at a standstill,
this little book holds many suggestions, such as the care of house
plants, spraying of trees and shrubs, proper cleaning of tools, and
many other things to which time can not be devoted during the
busy season. With a little common sense and sufficient study of
plant materials, this garden calendar should be a practical guide for
garden lovers in both temperate and sub- tropical regions.
HILDEGARD SCHNEIDER.
5 Dorrance, Anne. Fragrance in the Garden. 96 pages, illustrated,
indexed. Doubleday, Doran & Company, New York. 1937. $ 1.
G Matschat, Cecile Hulse, The Garden Calendar. 118 pages, illustrated.
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 1936. $ 1.
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
BOARD OF MANAGERS
I. ELECTIVE MANAGERS
Until 1938: L. H. BAILEY, MARSHALL FIELD, MRS. ELOX HUNTINGTON
HOOKER, JOHN L. MERRILL ( Vice- president), COL. ROBERT H. MONTGOMERY,
H. HOBART PORTER, and RAYMOND H. TORREY.
Until 1939: ARTHUR M. ANDERSON, HENRY W. DE FOREST ( President),
CLARENCE LEWIS, E. D. MERRILL, and HENRY DE LA MONTAGNE ( Secretary and
Assistant Treasurer).
Until 1940: HENRY DE FOREST BALDWIN ( Vice- president), CHILDS FRICK,
ADOLPH LEWISOHN, HENRY LOCKHART, JR., D. T. MACDOUGAL, and JOSEPH
R. SWAN ( Treasurer).
II. EX- OFFICIO MANAGERS
FIORELLO H. LAGUARDIA, Mayor of the City of New York.
ROBERT MOSES, Park Commissioner.
HENRY C. TURNER, President of the Board of Education.
III. APPOINTIVE MANAGERS
TRACY E. HAZEN, appointed by the Torrey Botanical Club.
R. A. HARPER, SAM F. TRELEASE, EDMUND W. SINNOTT, and MAKSTON T.
BOGEKT, appointed by Columbia University.
GARDEN STAFF
H. A. GLEASON, PH. D Deputy Director and Head Curator
HENRY DE LA MONTAGNE Assistant Director
JOHN K. SMALL, P H . D., Sc. D Chief Research Associate and Curator
A. B. STOUT, P H . D Director of the Laboratories
FRED J. SEAVER, PH. D., Sc. D Curator
BERNARD O. DODGE, PH. D Plant Pathologist
FORMAN T. MCLEAN, M. F., P H . D Supervisor of Public Education
JOHN HENDLEY BARNHART, A. M., M. D.. . Bibliographer and Admin. Assistant
PERCY WILSON Associate Curator
ALBERT C. SMITH, P H . D Associate Curator
SARAH H. HARLOW, A. M Librarian
H. H. RUSBY, M. D Honorary Curator of the Economic Collections
FLEDA GRIFFITH Artist and Photographer
ROBERT S. WILLIAMS Research Associate in Bryology
E. J. ALEXANDER Assistant Curator and Curator of the Local Herbarium
HAROLD N. MOLDENKE, P H . D Assistant Curator
W. H. CAMP, P H . D Assistant Curator
CLYDE CHANDLER, A. M Technical Assistant
ROSALIE WEIKERT Technical Assistant
CAROL H. WOODWARD, A. B Editorial Assistanl
THOMAS H. EVERETT, N. D. HORT Horticulturist
G. L. WITTROCK, A. M Docent
OTTO DEGENER, M. S Collaborator in Haivaiian Botany
ROBERT HAGELSTEIN Honorary Curator of Myxomycetes
ETHEL ANSON S. PECKHAM.. Honorary Curator, Iris and Narcissus Collections
ARTHUR J. CORBETT Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds
A. C. PFANDER Assistant Superintendent
MEMBERSHIP IN THE GARDEN
Established as a privately endowed institution, aided partially by City appro­priations,
The New York Botanical Garden is dependent for its progress largely
upon benefactions and memberships. Through these means, though young as botani­cal
gardens go, it has become the third largest institution of its kind, its library,
herbarium, and horticultural collections ranking among the finest and most complete
in any country.
Membership in The New York Botanical Garden, therefore, means promotion
of scientific research in botany and the advancement of horticultural interests.
Scientifically, the Garden is able to serve as a clearing- house of information for
students and botanists all over the world; horticulturally, it often serves as a link
between the plant explorer or breeder and the gardening public.
Through memberships and benefactions, provision is made at the Botanical
Garden for the training of young scientists and student gardeners; hundreds of new
books are added annually to the library, which is open daily to the public for re­search
and reading; free exhibits are maintained in the museum, the greenhouses,
and gardens, and lectures, courses, and free information in botany and gardening
are given to the public.
Each individual member of the Garden receives:
( 1) A copy of the Journal every month.
( 2) A copy of Addisonia twice a year, each number illustrated with
eight colored plates of unusual plants, accompanied by complete descrip­tions
and other pertinent information.
( 3) A share of surplus plant material of interesting or new varieties
whenever it is distributed.
( 4 ) Announcements of special floral displays at the Garden from
season to season.
( 5 ) Credit, to the extent of the membership fee paid, toward courses
of study offered by the Garden.
A limited number of garden clubs are accepted as affiliates. The privileges of
affiliation are a subscription to the Journal, announcements of displays, a specially
conducted tour of the grounds and greenhouses, and a lecture once a year by a
selected member of the staff.
Fellowships or scholarships for practical student- training in horticulture or for
botanical research may be established by bequest or other benefaction either in
perpetuity or for a definite period.
The classes of membership and types of benefaction are as follows:
Annual Member
Sustaining Member
Garden Club Affiliation
Fellowship Member
Member for Life
Fellow for Life
Patron
Benefactor
annual fee
annual fee
annual fee for club
annual fee
single contribution
single contribution
single contribution
single contribution
10
25
25
100
250
1,000
5,000
25,000
Contributions to the Garden may be deducted from taxable incomes. The
following is a legally approved form of bequest:
I hereby bequeath to The New Yor\ Botanical Garden incorporated under the
Laws of New York, Chapter 285 of 1891, the sum of .
Conditional bequests may be made with income payable to donor or any
designated beneficiary during his or her lifetime.
All requests for further information should be addressed to The New York
Botanical Garden, Bronx Park, New York, N. Y.